A Wake Forest dog trainer is in jail without bond after police say he secretly tracked a woman’s car and shared intimate photos of her without permission, turning a local pet business into the center of a criminal case.
Officers arrested 54-year-old Steven Doria on Wednesday after serving search warrants at his home in Kittrell and at his Wake Forest training business. He was booked into the Wake County Detention Center with no bond and was scheduled for a first court appearance on Thursday at 10 a.m.
According to arrest warrants cited by WRAL, Doria is accused of sending images that showed the woman engaged in sexual acts and of placing a tracking device on her vehicle, then monitoring her movements from his phone. Wake Forest police said the case stemmed from a complaint first reported in January. The warrants list charges that include disclosing private images, misdemeanor stalking, and unauthorized use of an electronic tracking device.
Charges and legal context
North Carolina law directly addresses the kind of conduct alleged in the case. Under N.C. Gen. Stat. §14-190.5A, knowingly disclosing an identifiable person’s intimate images without that person’s consent is a crime and also gives victims the right to file civil lawsuits.
A separate statute, N.C. Gen. Stat. §14-196.3, makes it unlawful to install or use an electronic tracking device to determine another person’s location without consent. For adults, the disclosure of private images offense is treated as a Class H felony.
Local business and owner
Doria lists himself as the owner of Can Ur Dog Do This?, a Wake Forest dog-training business, according to the company’s website, Can Ur Dog Do This?. The site promotes board-and-train options, protection-style training and other services across the Triangle. It is now, unintentionally, a backdrop to a criminal case that has nothing to do with obedience commands.
What’s next
Doria remains held at the Wake County Detention Center without bond and was expected in Wake County court Thursday at 10 a.m., WRAL reported. Wake Forest police said the arrest followed a “thorough investigation” into the January complaint. The charges remain allegations, and Doria is presumed innocent unless and until he is found guilty in court.
