GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A former Spectrum Health Security guard is accused of spying on a woman using the lactation room on three separate occasions.
Grand Rapids Police learned about the situation in June and launched an investigation.
According to police, the woman made a report to GRPD and said she was spied on in April in the lactation room.
She identified the man spying on her as 51-year-old John Mendham, who was employed at Spectrum Health as a security guard.
According to court documents obtained by 13 ON YOUR SIDE, the lactation room has a nine-window panel on the outer wall that is covered with a semi-transparent film.
One of the windows has a hole scratched into the security film.
That's how the woman says she was spied on, and watched Mendham peer at her through the hole in the film on three separate occasions.
Detectives followed up on her claims and determined that you can determine facial features when a face is about six inches from the glass.
Spectrum Health conducted their own investigation and fired him after they looked into the accusations.
Mendham denied the accusations during a police interview.
Mendham is charged with one felony count of surveilling an unclothed person.
If convicted, he faces up to two years in prison and/or up-to a $2,000 fine.
Edward Lis, the defense attorney representing Mendham, says, "At this point in time, he strongly denies the alleged charges against him. He’s presumed innocent. He’s a highly decorated 25+ year career veteran in law enforcement. many character witnesses who know him are standing behind him. We appreciate the judicial system and will trust it to play out. He has strong family support."
Spectrum Health released a statement Monday about the situation:
"We are aware of this situation and take the matter very seriously. All Spectrum Health team members are expected to follow our code of excellence, values and expectations for team member behavior. The person arrested is no longer a Spectrum Health team member."
Mendham previously served as a Deputy Sheriff in Mason County from 1996 to 2014, and also with the Ottawa County Sheriff's Office from 2014 to January 2017.
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