Man accused of stalking Raleigh police officer pleads guilty to lesser charge

Prosecutors said Jonathan Taylor Canfield, 24, repeatedly showed up at the home of a police officer over three days last summer and recorded video of the officer going about daily routines.

Canfield was charged with stalking, but he pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of disorderly conduct.

District Judge Debra Sasser told him his actions crossed the line.

"We all learned from the recent Derek Chauvin trial how significant it was that that young woman videotaped that encounter," Sasser said. "But what she did was definitely on the correct side of the line. I appreciate the fact that you're taking responsibility for crossing over to the wrong side of the line."

A bill pending in the General Assembly would make it harder to find the home addresses and phone numbers of law enforcement officers, judges and prosecutors in North Carolina. Under the proposal, those authorities could ask the city or county where they live to remove property tax records and voting registration information from online databases, forcing anyone seeking the information to go to the local agency to obtain it in person.

As part of his plea deal, Canfield also pleaded guilty to driving while impaired in connection with a recent crash on Glenwood Avenue.

Sasser sentenced him to 45 days in jail, suspended to 18 months on probation. He also has to pay a $150 fine and court costs.