James Mulhern III, a staff member at Walter Johnson High School, is accused of filming female students in a changing area. Montgomery County police have identified 12 victims, with some recordings dating back to 2015.
The April 7 discovery in the theater cnotrol booth
The investigation into James Mulhern III began on April 7, when two students discovered a hidden video camera located in the control booth of the theater at Walter Johnson High School.. According to the report, one of the students reviewed the memory card and found footage that had been recorded inside the girls' changing room.
School administrators were alerted immediately, triggering a law enforcement response. The initial charges filed in April focused on four female students, but the scope of the crime grew as detectives began analyzing the evidence recovered from the scene.
Twelve victims and a trail of footage since 2015
An expanded investigation by Montgomery County police has since uncovered additional evidence, including videos that date back as far as 2015. As the report says, the footage depicts an adult male placing a camera inside the changing room before exiting; the principal of Walter Johnson High School subsequently identified James Mulhern III as the person in the video.
This revelation has increased the number of alleged victims from four to 12. The longevity of this activity suggests a systemic failure in the monitoring of school facilities, echoing a broader trend of "insider threats" where trusted employees exploit their access to secure areas. When a media services technician has unfettered access to technical booths and changing areas, the potential for abuse increases if there are no secondary checks or regular sweeps for unauthorized devices.
A potential 300-year sentence and the $100,000 bond
James Mulhern III is currently facing 12 counts of abuse of a minor, a charge that carries a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison per count under Maryland law. If convicted on all counts,Mulhern could potentially face up to 300 years behind bars.
Following search warrants executed at Walter Johnson High School and Mulhern's residence in Clarksburg, where electronic devices were seized, the defendant was released on a $100,000 unsecured personal bond. The court has imposed strict conditions on James Mulhern III, including a total ban on contact with minors , a requirement to stay away from Walter Johnson High School, and a mandate that any contact with his 4-year-old son be supervised.
How did the recordings persist from 2015 to 2024?
The most pressing question remaining is how James Mulhern III managed to operate a recording scheme for nearly a decade without detection. It remains unclear whether the school conducted any periodic security audits of the theater control booth or if the changing rooms were ever inspected for surveillance equipment between 2015 and the student discovery in 2024. Additionally, the report does not specify if other staff members had noticed suspicious behavior or if the Montgomery County State's Attorney's Office has identified any other accomplices who may have facilitated the access.
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