A Secret Service officer based in Washington was arrested late Monday in Miami-Dade County after authorities alleged he exposed himself and masturbated in a hotel hallway, triggering an immediate administrative suspension and a criminal investigation.
John Spillman, 33, was taken into custody around midnight at the DoubleTree by Hilton Miami Airport and Convention Center, according to a police affidavit. Law enforcement responded after receiving a report and found him naked at the end of a hallway, the document states.
A guest on the same floor told officers that Spillman had followed her from the lobby, prompting her to rush into her room out of fear for her safety. Hotel security personnel also reported witnessing the conduct, according to the affidavit.
Richard Macauley, chief of the Secret Service's uniformed division, acknowledged the arrest in a statement and said the alleged behavior violated the agency's core standards. "The alleged conduct is unacceptable and stands in stark contrast to the professionalism and integrity that I demand of our personnel," Macauley said, adding that the agency takes such matters with "the utmost seriousness."
Spillman was in Miami to provide security at an outside event, the Secret Service said. The alleged incident occurred after the event concluded and while he was off duty. The agency has placed him on administrative leave while the criminal case and an internal investigation proceed.
As of Tuesday morning, no attorney was listed on the case docket. The county public defender's office declined to comment. A hearing is scheduled for May 27.
Author Sarah Mitchell: "This is exactly the kind of incident that undermines public confidence in the agencies tasked with protecting national figures and securing public spaces."
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