AMES – This Iowa man was nabbed for peeping at a kid and possibly others in a Target store dressing room, and now he finds himself in a room full of consequences for his depravity.
On February 24, 2025, the Ames Police Department responded to the Ames Target for a report of a person filming a female while they changed clothes inside a store fitting room. The suspect was believed to be using their cell phone camera placed under the fitting room door to record images of the victim without their knowledge or consent.
During the subsequent investigation, additional victims were identified as having been recorded while using the Target fitting rooms in February 2025.
As a result of the investigation, 45-year-old Michael Leslie of Maxwell, Iowa, was arrested on the following charges:
- Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, a Class B Felony
-
Invasion of Privacy – Nudity (3 counts), an Aggravated Misdemeanor
In November of 2025, records show a plea deal was reached in this case, leading to a sentencing hearing on February 4, 2026. Leslie was guilty of felony B sexual exploitation of a minor and only one count of invasion of privacy. He was sentenced on the felony charge to to 25 years in prison, all suspended; 5 years of probation; registry on the state sex offender list; and must enter a sex offender program. On the aggravated misdemeanor charge, he was sentenced to 30 days in jail minus time served. He was ordered to pay Iowa courts $1308.25 in fines and court costs.
Leslie (pictured at top) is currently in jail serving out the remainder of his 30-day sentence.
8 thoughts on “Iowa man nabbed for peeping at kid in Target store avoids 25-year prison term”
Sounds about white.
Despite the outrage from Iowans, they will re-elect the same bozos to the legislature just to “own the libs”.
Agree
IOWA TUFF ON CRIME, A PERSON CONVICTED OF 2ND OFFENSE SIMPLE POSS. OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE PAYS MORE IN FINES. A JOKE PERVERTS WALK, sad iowa but this the state that justified pit maneuver on motorcycle after chase called off , killing driver but civil jury rules death intentional. Cop retired full pension. Make it make sense redneck .
Fucking iowa and the court system. Its the biggest fucking joke ever. Maybe the prosecuting attorney or county attorney or the fucking sentencing judge should b held to a prison sentence for there bullshit sentences they hand out in this fucked up state. Iowa fields of opportunitys to touch a kid and get away with it. Or fields of opportunity to commit murder and only get 25yrs.
Tell us how you really feel.
was he guilty? Did he commit a crime?
In November of 2025, records show a plea deal was reached in this case, leading to a sentencing hearing on February 4, Leslie was guilty of felony B sexual exploitation of a minor and only one count of invasion of privacy. He was sentenced on the felony charge to to 25 years in prison, all suspended; 5 years of probation; registry on the state sex offender list; and must enter a sex offender program. On the aggravated misdemeanor charge, he was sentenced to 30 days in jail minus time served. He was ordered to pay Iowa courts $1308.25 in fines and court costs.