Charges: Texas man accused of taking photos in gym locker room had hundreds of child sexual abuse images

A Texas man charged with taking photos and videos of nude minors at two Life Time fitness centers in the Twin Cities now faces additional felony counts of possessing hundreds of images of child pornography.

Michael Scott Howard, 50, of Dallas, was charged this week in Hennepin County District Court with four felony counts of possessing the child sexual abuse images. The images were found by an Eden Prairie detective on Howard’s work computer after a warrant was issued to investigate his electronic devices after felony charges of interference with a privacy against minors.

According to a criminal complaint, 343 pictures and 80 videos of child sexual abuse materials were found. Officers also found images and videos of male minors undressing in gym locker rooms, mostly at Life Time, and other publicly accessible changing areas.

Howard already faces felony charges for interference with privacy against minors in Hennepin and Carver counties after he was allegedly caught taking photos and videos of minors on his phone with hidden camera at a Life Time center in Chanhassen on June 20 and in Eden Prairie on June 21.

Eden Prairie police discovered Howard took 23 videos and “significantly more photographs” in the gym’s locker room of men and mostly minors, in various states of undress, according to the criminal complaint. More than 60 people were identified in those videos, and most appeared to be 14 to 18 years old.

Life Time Senior Vice President Jason Thunstrom wrote in a statement in August; “Our established policies, reinforced by signage and our employees, expressly prohibit the use of cellular phones (and other mobile devices) in photographic or video mode in locker rooms and many other areas of our clubs. Upon becoming aware of this matter, we took swift action to terminate the individual’s membership, and began collaborating with authorities in their active investigation.”

Howard is currently not in custody, according to the criminal complaint. He allegedly lives out of his van and does not have a permanent address.

Jeff Day of the Minnesota Star Tribune contributed to this story.