ALBERT LEA, Minnesota — A central Minnesota wedding photographer is charged with interfering with privacy after allegedly placing a hidden camera in the dressing room of an unsuspecting bride.
Freeborn County prosecutors detailed the allegations against 30-year-old Mitchell Donald Ringness involving video that was allegedly shot in October of 2020. They say the incident came to light April 2 of this year after the defendant's significant other dropped off a thumb drive with a detective in Cloquet.
The criminal complaint filed against Ringness says the video, shot from a low angle at a wedding event in Albert Lea, Minnesota, shows a semi-nude bride getting dressed for her wedding. Shortly after the bride is dressed, the video captures a photographer entering the dressing room, and someone calls the man by the defendant's first name.
Court documents say other material depicting sexual conduct was also found on the thumb drive.
An Albert Lea police detective looked on Facebook and found the account for Ringness' photography business, then located a posting for the wedding of the woman he believed was the victim. He spoke with the victim, who confirmed that the defendant was her photographer, she was the woman captured in the video and she did not give him permission to photograph her undressed.
The complaint said the woman also shared pictures from her wedding day that showed Ringness's camera bag with something - potentially a video camera - sticking out of it.
At this time it is unclear if the defendant videotaped other victims without their consent while conducting his business.
