The laundromat also has tanning beds inside the same facility. The suspect, a year-old convicted sex offender on parole at the time of the incident, is currently lodged in the Ottawa County Jail, awaiting arraignment in Muskegon County 60th District Court on two charges: Attempting to capture images of an unclothed person, a five-year felony; and lying to police, a two-year, high court misdemeanor.
Police believe that the suspect wasn't successful in his attempt to record the victim undressing in the other room. Archer said he is taking extra security measures since the incident occurred. Already the rooms have 8-foot ceilings, he said, and it appears the man reached over the dividing wall in an effort to videotape a customer with his phone.
Archer said, while he can control who he hires at the business, he certainly has no way of weeding out sex offenders and parolees as customers. Adding to the embarrassing publicity because of the incident, Archer said this year has started out difficult already with the extraordinary winter weather keeping many customers inside.
The Archers have several other businesses in the county, including another laundromat with tanning beds in Roosevelt Park. He has a lengthy criminal record, according to the Michigan Department of Corrections. He was convicted of criminal sexual conduct, second degree, in , and spent prison time for home invasion, assault with a dangerous weapon and resisting and obstructing a police officer. He was paroled on Sept.
Muskegon County Chief Assistant Prosecutor Timothy Maat said authorities were alerted to the incident by a woman at the laundromat when the incident occurred. Police arrived to the scene and took statements from those there that indicated the man used his phone to try and record the person in the adjoining tanning room.
