Target peeper victim calls sentence “slap on the wrist”

GREENVILLE, N.C. (WITN) - One of the victims in a secret peeping case where the defendant was caught on camera says the sentence was a “slap on the wrist”.

Thomas Elliot was given three years of probation and not required to register as a sex offender after pleading guilty last Tuesday to four counts of secret peeping.

The 22-year-old Greenville man was arrested back in April after police say he placed his cell phone underneath a woman’s dress at the Target on Evans Street.

Greenville police had three peeping cases against Elliot on April 15th at Target, while Winterville police charged him with an offense that happened on March 13th at Open Door Church.

“I’m glad that he pled guilty and that so many people have been made aware of the type of monster he is,” a victim told us in a written statement. “However, it irks me that he gets a lesser sentence because he pled guilty. That just shows how broken the justice system is. Regardless of how he pled, he should still have to register. A lesser sentence is one thing but he IS a sex offender, so his name should be on the list.”

WITN normally does not release victim names in sex crimes.

District Attorney Faris Dixon says since Elliot had no prior convictions, he was only eligible to receive a probationary sentence.

Elliott was a volunteer at Eastern Elementary School in Greenville and did some work at Open Door Church.

As conditions for probation, he cannot go on the property of the after-school program at Open Door Church, continue treatment at a Raleigh facility, have no contact with the victims, pay them for up to five counseling sessions, and perform 100 hours of community service.

Video shows when a shopper confronts Elliott: