A former Jackson Laboratory employee filed a federal civil lawsuit Monday alleging that the lab did not do enough to address her claims that a co-worker was sexually harassing her.
The co-worker later was criminally charged after he allegedly hid a camera in a laboratory bathroom at the Bar Harbor laboratory, which also is known as JAX.
Kalee Hill, who was a lab animal technician for a little more than two years, says that over several months she verbally complained to her supervisor approximately 10 to 12 times, and submitted one written complaint, about inappropriate comments from her co-worker, Brandon Lyons.
Just under a year later, Lyons allegedly recorded her and several co-workers in a laboratory bathroom. Lyons now faces criminal charges in Hancock County related to the camera incident.
The allegedly lewd remarks ranged from commentary on Hill’s body to offensive statements about how she earned a promotion, according to the lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court of Maine in Bangor.
Hill reported the comments — which she said made her feel uncomfortable — to two separate supervisors, one of whom had a cubicle about 15 feet away from hers and frequently witnessed the remarks, according to the suit. Hill was first told that her supervisor would “look into it” and would “take care of it,” though that never happened, the lawsuit says.
When Hill went to a second supervisor about the harassment, she was told she had to “‘bite her tongue’ and ‘work with people you may not like’ because ‘that’s how you prove you can work through difficult situations and get promoted,’” according to the lawsuit.
Hill first reported Lyons, who was also an animal care technician, in April 2024, just over a year before he allegedly placed a hidden video camera in a single-stall lab bathroom that she often used.
“We take these allegations seriously and conducted a thorough review,” Jackson Lab Communications Director Thania Benios said Tuesday. “We took appropriate action consistent with our policies and commitment to a safe, respectful workplace. Mr. Brandon Lyons is no longer employed at JAX. As this is pending litigation, we cannot comment further.”
James Clifford, an attorney for Hill, declined to comment when contacted Tuesday afternoon by the Bangor Daily News. Hill is requesting a jury trial, according to the complaint filed in federal court.
Lyons, 31, is accused of planting a camera pointed at a lab toilet on May 20, 2025. The camera was discovered an hour and a half after it was installed, though four people were unknowingly recorded during that time, according to court documents.
In December, a Hancock County grand jury indicted Lyons on 10 charges, including stalking and seven counts of violation of privacy. He also faces charges of drug possession and child endangerment after police executed a search warrant at his home and found drugs and firearms near his 4 year old daughter, according to court documents.
Police found two more days of video footage from the week before the camera was discovered in May 2025, during which time Lyons recorded four additional lab employees. One of the victims declined to pursue criminal charges, according to an arrest warrant affidavit.
William Ashe, an attorney for Lyons, did not immediately respond to inquiries from the Bangor Daily News.
On March 19, Lyons was found incompetent to stand trial and committed to state custody for treatment at a psychiatric center, according to court filings. However, such a finding could be re-evaluated if a defendant “regains competency” through treatment, Hancock County District Attorney Robert Granger said in a written statement sent to the BDN on Tuesday.
“If a person is ‘restored’ to competency, the Court needs to revisit the evidence and make a new determination whether the individual is restored sufficiently to a state where they are deemed ‘competent’ to proceed with their criminal case,” Granger said.
But, if the court’s finding of incompetence holds over time, the charges against Lyons could be eventually dismissed.
A dispositional conference for Lyons is tentatively scheduled for May 27, though Granger noted that, if a person is found to be incompetent to be criminally charged, they are “incapable of entering into any negotiated agreements to dispose of a case.”
