Maryland High School Employee Charged for Inappropriate Recordings

A high school employee in Maryland is facing more criminal charges after an extended investigation revealed eight more alleged victims connected to secretly recorded footage of female students in the locker room. Authorities report additional findings in the case against James Mulhern III, who works at Walter Johnson High School in Montgomery County, now facing 12 charges of minor abuse.

The investigation initially started on April 7 when two students found a video camera in the theater management booth at the school. One student, upon reviewing the camera’s memory card, stumbled upon a recording made inside the girls’ locker room and promptly informed school officials.

Police later determined that the video showed an adult man, recognized by the school’s principal as Mulhern, placing the camera in the locker room.

Law enforcement executed search warrants at both the high school and Mulhern’s residence in Clarksburg, recovering items deemed significant for the investigation along with several electronic devices.

As the inquiry progressed, detectives identified eight more alleged victims and uncovered videos extending back to 2015, broadening the scope of the case from the original four victims known when Mulhern was first charged.

In a court appearance on Wednesday, Mulhern was granted release on a $100,000 unsecured personal bail. However, there are strict conditions attached: he must stay away from Walter Johnson High School, refrain from contacting minors, and limit interaction with his 4-year-old son to supervised meetings.

Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy mentioned that the recent evidence has heightened concerns for the prosecution. Each count of abusing a minor in Maryland carries a potential maximum sentence of 25 years, which could amount to 300 years if Mulhern is convicted on all charges.

Authorities have not provided any further comments at this time.