Cops: Man put cellphone camera in Great Neck Plaza gym tanning room

 A gym employee has been arrested and charged for allegedly recording a woman while she was using a tanning room at a Planet Fitness location in Great Neck Plaza, Nassau County police said.

The 20-year-old woman noticed what appeared to be a cellphone in the ceiling panels of the room after her tanning session at Planet Fitness about 6 p.m., according to police. She immediately called 911.

Following an investigation, 27-year-old Demetrius Sumter, of St. Albans, Queens, was arrested Saturday and charged with second-degree unlawful surveillance. He was arraigned Sunday and released with non-monetary restrictions and a temporary order of protection issued, online court records show. Sumter is expected back at First District Court in Hempstead on Friday.

Heather Pearson, a communications specialist for Planet Fitness' world headquarters, said Sunday evening: “At Planet Fitness, the safety and privacy of our members is our top priority, and we have absolutely zero tolerance for any inappropriate behavior in this regard. We are aware of the incident that took place at the Planet Fitness in Great Neck Plaza, Nassau, and the employee involved was terminated immediately.”

Detectives ask anyone who believes they may have been a victim to contact the Sixth Squad at 516-573-6653 or Crime Stoppers at 800-244-8477. All calls will remain anonymous.

With Darwin Yanes

By Vera Chinese

vera.chinese@newsday.com@VeraChinese

Vera Chinese joined Newsday in 2017 after working as an editor for the East End lifestyle publication northforker and a general assignment reporter for the New York Daily News.