A Virginia man was arrested in Ohio for allegedly threatening to release a sex tape recorded without the victim's knowledge, and authorities believe he may have targeted other individuals.
Joshua Wade Fitzpatrick was the chief meteorologist at 29News for nearly a decade before he was let go in March, shortly after police launched an investigation on Feb. 28, according to The Daily Progress.
The 42-year-old weatherman was accused of secretly recording a consensual sexual encounter without his partner's knowledge then threatening to release the footage. Authorities have not disclosed what he demanded in return for keeping it private.
After learning about the investigation, Fitzpatrick relocated from Charlottesville to his home state of Ohio, where he was taken into custody on Tuesday. He is currently awaiting extradition to Virginia.
Fitzpatrick faces a felony charge of sexual extortion and a misdemeanor for unlawfully photographing a nude person, with a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison.
The Albemarle County Police Department released a statement obtained by The Daily Progress in which officials revealed "detectives believe there may be additional victims."
"ACPD would like to encourage anyone who may have had an encounter with Fitzpatrick to contact Detective M. Schneider with the Albemarle County Police Department's Criminal Investigations Division at 434-296-5807," the statement continued.
