HRA maintenance man allegedly caught in tenant’s bedroom

An Austin Housing and Redevelopment Authority maintenance man faces indecent exposure and bribery charges after allegedly watching a pornographic movie in a tenant’s bedroom.

Ronald Joseph Heimer, 47, of Adams, was charged by court complaint in Mower County District Court with felony bribery, misconduct of a public employee, fourth-degree burglary and indecent exposure. He has not been scheduled for a first court appearance yet.

According to a court complaint, the 35-year-old HRA tenant came home to her residence in the northeast side of Austin Tuesday afternoon and saw an HRA van parked outside. According to the complaint, the woman walked inside to find Heimer walking out of her bedroom, zipping up his pants, as a pornographic movie played on the TV in her room. The woman told police Heimer seemed surprised.

Heimer allegedly pleaded with the woman not to call police and told her he would give her $200 if she didn’t call.

Heimer reportedly apologized repeatedly to the woman and said this is the first time he’s ever done something like this. He told the woman he was there to work on her furnace, although the woman told police she had requested work on her stove, the complaint states.

When officers questioned Heimer, he said he was instructed to work on the tenant’s furnace and did not know she had pornographic movies in her room until that day. He reportedly denied having his pants undone when the tenant saw him. Heimer also denied having paper towels on him, but police reportedly found a paper towel matching the towels at the woman’s house in his front pants pocket. Heimer wouldn’t tell police where the paper towel came from, according to court documents.

Heimer will likely appear in court in the coming days to be formally charged.