Former area mayor appears in court

VW independent staff

LIMA — The former mayor of Spencerville is facing up to 90 days in jail and a sex offender classification after pleading guilty to a voyeurism charge on Thursday. He also faces a verdict on a felony charge after a brief bench trial.

In exchange for the guilty plea by Phillip Briggs, 45, four felony counts of illegal use of a minor in nudity oriented material were dismissed by the Allen County Prosecutor’s Office.

A judge will review evidence on a sixth charge, including video recordings and screenshots and will issue a verdict at a later date. Formal sentencing on the misdemeanor charge has not been set. In addition to possible jail time, Briggs is facing a fine up to $750 and a Tier I sex offender designation, which requires an offender to register with law enforcement annually for 15 years.

Briggs was arrested January 31, after detectives interviewed two teenage girls who claimed he had secretly recorded them in various stages of undress. A search warrant was executed at his home and a laptop was seized by deputies. He resigned three days after his arrest.