Resort employee fired, accused of recording women in shower

On Feb. 8, Yarmouth Police were notified that a hidden surveillance camera was found in the women's shower at a resort.

A woman staying at the resort had just finished using the workout area when she noticed a black charger plugged into the wall near the sink in the women's locker room. While she was showering, she saw a small hole in one of the shower ceiling tiles and a blinking blue light. The ceiling tile moved and a camera fell out.

The woman took it to the front desk and asked them to call police.

Anthony Emmanuel Mendes, who was working at the resort front desk, heard the conversation, went to the woman and her boyfriend and took the camera and charger. The three then went to the front desk to wait for police.

When police got to the resort, they went to review surveillance video located on the wall outside of the women's bathroom, which showed Mendes enter the workout area, go into the women's bathroom and close the door behind him. About 20 minutes later, police said the video shows Mendes coming out from the bathroom and looking around before going back in.

Police said Mendes does not have a car and management didn't know his current address, so police came back to the resort Saturday when Mendes was scheduled to work again, but he never showed up.

Yarmouth Police began checking residences associated with Mendes and eventually found him in his girlfriend's car. Officers stopped them and took Mendes into custody. While officers read Mendes his Miranda rights, they said he waived his rights and agreed to speak about the case, admitting to his involvement.

Police said Mendes is a convicted felon with 27 priors. He was arraigned in Barnstable District Court Monday on misleading to obstruct justice by tampering with evidence and secret video recording charges and was released on $1,000 cash bail. He has since been fired from the resort.