July 17, 2023 – West Bend, WI – A 45-year-old City of West Bend man was arrested on Friday, July 14, 2023, for allegedly capturing unlawful images on a hidden camera mounted underneath a bathroom sink at Froedtert West Bend Hospital in the Town of Polk.
The suspect, who was a Froedtert health support staff employee, admitted to investigators he has been placing the camera inside the same bathroom for the past several months and then saving some of the captured footage.
This case came to light on Friday afternoon after investigators with the City of West Bend Police Department uncovered information during an unrelated investigation and immediately communicated the information to investigators at the Sheriff’s Office.
Washington County investigators responded to the hospital and located the hidden camera underneath the sink. The bathroom in question is a public restroom, but mainly utilized by staff.
The suspect appeared in Washington County Circuit Court this afternoon for a bail hearing.
Judge Hetzel found probable cause that a felony was committed and set bond at $50,000 cash and ordered him to have no contact with Froedtert or any of their employees.
The judge gave the state more time to file formal criminal charges. In Wisconsin, it is a felony to capture an image depicting nudity without the person’s consent.
Based on the amount of data that needs to be analyzed, and the number of potential victims, investigators need additional time before specific formal charges can be sent to the district attorney for review.
In the end we anticipate requesting a significant number of felony charges. Our priority is analyzing the significant amount of electronic data to determine the scope of the victimization and identify all potential victims. We are working in partnership with the West Bend Police Department to hold the individual accountable and treat the victims with respect and dignity. These allegations are deeply disturbing. The Sheriff’s Office is committed to working as efficiently as possible to provide answers to those that may have been victimized in a timely manner.