A warrant has been issued for a Texas man accused of secretly recording minors at an Eden Prairie fitness club, according to a criminal complaint filed Monday in Hennepin County District Court.
Michael Scott Howard, 50, of Dallas, faces two felony charges for interfering with the privacy of minors.
The charges stem from a June 21 incident at Life Time Fitness Eden Prairie, 755 Prairie Center Drive, where police responded to a disturbance report. According to the complaint, Howard allegedly used a hidden camera to record minors in the men’s locker room.
Police seized Howard’s phone, which reportedly contained numerous videos and photographs of minors, all taken without their knowledge.
According to a July 4 application for a search warrant by an Eden Prairie detective in the department’s criminal investigations division, Howard’s phone, a Samsung Galaxy S7, was equipped with a covert camera believed to be professionally installed.
The warrant authorized the search of Howard’s van for electronic devices capable of storing digital photographs or videos and unlawfully captured photographs. The device, marketed as a “spy phone,” was capable of secretly recording and live-streaming footage. Officers also discovered a second phone in Howard’s van, which may contain additional evidence related to the case.
The complaint stated that the detective reviewed the videos on Howard’s phone and identified approximately 63 individuals in the recordings, some of whom appeared in multiple videos.
Through further investigation, the detective identified two of the victims, both 17 years old, who confirmed their identities from surveillance stills. The detective also reviewed security footage from Life Time, which corroborated the presence of many of the victims on the day of the incident.
Howard, who does not have a permanent address and is believed to be living out of his van, remains at large. Prosecutors cited concerns about his flight risk and potential for continued criminal activity, leading to the issuance of the arrest warrant.
If convicted, Howard could face up to eight years in prison and fines totaling $10,000.
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