The U.S. Secret Service insignia is depicted on a wall of the Secret Service Headquarters in Washington.
Kevin Lamarck | reuters
A US Secret Service officer was arrested in Miami on charges of indecent exposure while off-duty, authorities said Monday.
The officer, John Spillman, earlier on Sunday worked external security screening for President Donald Trump’s appearance at the PGA Tour’s Cadillac Championship, which was being held at Trump National Doral.
Online jail records show Spillman was being held in the Miami-Dade County Jail on Monday in lieu of $1,000 bond.
The 33-year-old has been placed on administrative leave from the Secret Service, the agency said.
U.S. Secret Service Officer John Spillman, booking photo, Miami-Dade County Sheriff’s Department
Miami-Dade County Sheriff’s Department
The incident involving Spillman happened Sunday night at the DoubleTree by Hilton Miami Airport and Convention Center, according to WSVN-7 News Miami, which cited an arrest report from the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office.
Earlier in the day, Trump watched players complete the final round of the Cadillac Championship from a tent near the 18th hole at his golf club.
Spillman was part of the detail that provided external security checks for the program.
According to WSVN-7 News, hotel guests told investigators they were in the lobby around midnight when Spillman followed them. The station reported that they later saw “the defendant masturbating next to their hotel room.”
Security later found that “the defendant was masturbating on the sixth floor with his pants down,” the report said.
The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to CNBC’s request for comment.
US Secret Service Police Chief Richard Macaulay said in a statement sent to CNBC that the agency was aware of the arrest of an off-duty Secret Service officer by the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office.
“The alleged conduct is unacceptable and is completely contrary to the professionalism and integrity I demand from my personnel,” Macaulay said.
He said, “This agency takes these matters extremely seriously; as a result, the individual has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of this criminal case and a thorough internal investigation.”
Spillman’s arrest comes more than a week after Secret Service officers arrested Cole Thomas Allen, a California man who allegedly shot an officer while going through a checkpoint at the Washington Hilton hotel, where Trump was attending the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner.
Authorities have said the officer was not seriously injured because his protective jacket blocked the gunshot. Allen is accused of trying to assassinate Trump.