Local pastor accused of installing video cameras in women's restroom

LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - The call came in to the Tippecanoe County Sheriff's Department on April 22. A member of Sunrise Christian Reformed Church in Lafayette said she was using the women's restroom and noticed an air freshener had fallen off the door of her stall.

When she picked it up, she noticed it was no ordinary air freshener. The back of the air freshener had come off and inside, was a video camera.
    
"We immediately sent an officer there to initiate an investigation to collect that device," said Tippecanoe County Sheriff Tracy Brown.

Yet, deputies said there was more than one device. After the woman discovered the camera in her stall, she checked the other three. All three stalls had air fresheners in them. One contained a camera, one did not.

Two and a half weeks later on Thursday, deputies arrested the pastor.

"The pastor of the church , Robert Lyzenga, was arrested and later posted a $5,000 surety bond," said Brown. "He stands accused of one count of voyeurism as a class D Felony."

According to members of the congregation, Lyzenga was immediately terminated following his arrest.

Court documents show the investigator downloaded data from both cameras. Videos showed showed two adult women using the restroom and, on another occasion, a girl using the restroom. One memory card shows a time stamp dating back to February of 2011.

Detectives said one of the cameras appears to have been turned on inside Pastor Lyzenga's office, then walked into the women's bathroom. Images on tape match his office, down to the Superman mouse pad on his desk.

Detectives discovered the three air fresheners were not really air fresheners at all, but had been made out of plastic, rectangular boxes and had been modified to hold cameras.

All three contained "Glade Air-o-matic" stickers which, upon closer examination, appeared to have been printed.

Elders at Sunrise Christian Reformed Church said they considered closing their doors for the day on Monday, but instead decided to remain open so they could speak with board members and members of their congregation.

"The council and the church body here is devastated," said church Elder Mark DeYoung. "We are shocked, and we are dealing with all sorts of reactions. We are dismayed, we are wounded, and we are crying out to our Lord."

When asked to describe Lyzenga, DeYoung said he had no words.

"Last week, I would have been readily willing to describe him," said DeYoung. "He's been our lead pastor here for many years, he is a trusted employee, or was. Now, he is not. He is neither trusted, or an employee."

NewsChannel 18 went to Lyzenga's house, but nobody came to the door.

For now, Lyzenga has not officially been charged by the prosecutors office and the investigation is ongoing.

Brown said the voyeurism charge is only the preliminary charge, and said Lyzenga could face more charges depending on what the investigation shows.