By Patricia Bogumil
Editor
A Rochester man upped the yuck factor to the term “neighborhood watch” by allegedly spying on children entering a preschool while standing nude in front of a bedroom window at his house.
According to the criminal complaint filed April 15 in Racine County Circuit Court:
William J. Grube, 63, 309 Ridgeline Road, Rochester, is charged with seven felony counts of attempting to cause a child under age 13 to view sexual activity.
County investigators responded April 12 to a suspicious activity complaint from the owner of Leapin’ Learners Day Care, 225 Ridgeline Road, which is licensed to care for children ages 3-5.
The owner told police a parent had observed a neighbor who lives immediately to the north (later identified as Grube) looking out a window as the parent and her child left the daycare about 11:30 a.m., April 9.
The parent said she had seen this man at his window on earlier occasions, but this time he had what appeared to be a camera in his hand.
The owner herself observed Grube at his window. On April 10, she set up a camera and took photographs of Grube looking out his bedroom window as different parents entered the school with their children.
A county investigator reviewed the photos taken April 10 and reported Grube could be clearly observed standing in the window, holding binoculars while undressed from the waist down.
Additional photos taken by the owner April 11, as well as a video camera recording, were also reviewed and show Grube again standing in the window with binoculars, this time completely undressed.
On April 13, a search warrant was executed at Grube’s residence.
He was not home, but his wife reportedly admitted that Grube had been in trouble for peering in a window in 1992 when the couple lived on Kendrick Street in Burlington.
Grube was later taken into custody and reportedly admitted to being arrested in 1972 for lewd and lascivicious behavior, and confirmed the 1992 trouble.
He admitted during the interview to standing in the window either totally naked or naked from the waist down. Grube also stated he is not a pedophile but rather an exhibitionist looking more at the parents and excited to know people could see him there.
Grube admitted to doing this about seven times this winter and said he had a compulsion to expose himself, but had been able to control it in the past.
Grube further admitted to needing help, denied ever molesting or touching anyone inappropriately and said he had not taken any pictures or made recordings of children entering or leaving the daycare.
Grube made an initial appearance in Racine County Circuit Court April 15, at which time a $10,000 signature bond was set to ensure that he will appear in court as required.
As a condition of his bond, Grube is to have no contact with the preschool, cannot return home to live at the 309 Ridgeline Road address and must wear a monitoring device.
Grube is next scheduled in court May 2 for a preliminary hearing, when a judge will consider whether the matter should proceed to trial.
The incident continues to be under investigation. Anyone with additional information is encouraged to contact Detective Chad Schulman at (262) 636-3175.
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