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Man allegedly followed Salt Lake children home for nearly 2 weeks, peered into their home windows

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SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — A man with an extensive criminal record was arrested on Monday, June 5, for allegedly following three juveniles home from school for nearly two weeks, according to Salt Lake City Police.

Nicholas Jacob Muenchow, 33, was arrested on three counts of voyeurism against a child under 14 years of age (class A misdemeanor), interference with arresting officer (class B misdemeanor), and use or possession of drug paraphernalia (class B misdemeanor).

According to a probable cause statement, Muenchow has been following the three victims, ages 6, 10, and 12, home from school for around a week and a half.

In one instance, Muenchow spoke to the 6-year-old when they fell while walking home, which Muenchow reportedly admitted to police.

On June 5, police say Muenchow followed the victims home and went to the windows of their home, “peering into each of them.”

One of the victims was able to snap a photo of Muenchow while he was looking in, which police were able to use to identify him.

“By peering into the windows of the residence after following the juveniles home [Muenchow] was viewing, or attempting to view, the juveniles in an area where they had an expectation of privacy without their consent,” the affidavit states.

When officers tried to arrest Muenchow, he reportedly pulled away and would not give up his hands after being given repeated commands to do so. Officers also found a clear pipe with residue in a search of his person.

Police say Muenchow “has shown he is a danger to other individuals and the community,” based on his multiple offenses. The affidavit states that Muenchow “has previously conducted in suspicious and lewd ways in multiple jurisdictions over the last year, all with the behavior increasing.”

His previous behavior reportedly includes making sexual comments to an arresting officer and attempting to expose himself while on the way to jail, trespassing at his ex’s residence, stalking, entering the bathroom while a female roommate was in the shower, following an unknown female into her place of work, exposing himself in public, and following a family with young kids into their home.

In this case, police say Muenchow knew that no parents were home when he peered into the windows of the victims’ home.

Muenchow was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail on the charges previously stated.