The governor of Missouri has been indicted and taken into custody for circulating photographs of his bound and partially nude lover, local media reported Thursday.

Governor Eric Greitens was arrested Thursday afternoon on the first floor of Carnahan Courthouse in St Louis, according to an eyewitness report by a journalist from the St Louis Post-Dispatch.

Greitens was charged with invasion of privacy which was apparently linked to media reports last month that he had allegedly threatened to transmit photographs of the woman with whom he was having an affair.

The governor was charged Thursday after it was alleged that he had followed through on the threat and transmitted the photographs, the Post-Dispatch reported.

Missouri law states it is a felony to take a nonconsensual photo and distribute to another person, according to a statement from the office of St Louis Circuit Attorney Kimberley M Gardner.

“As I have stated before, it is essential for residents of the city of St Louis and our state to have confidence in their leaders,” Gardner said.

The crime carries a sentence of up to four years in prison. Greiten has admitted the affair which happened around the time he began his 2015 campaign for office, when he switched from being a Democrat to a Republican.

He has, however, denied he threatened to
circulate the photos. (dpa/NAN)