A chiropractor has been accused of allegedly putting a secret camera in the bathroom of his Peabody office, prosecutors said.
Scott Kline, 44, of Middleton, was arraigned Tuesday in Peabody District Court on a charge of photographing an unsuspecting nude person in the bathroom of his chiropractic business, Back on Track in Peabody, according to a statement from Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan’s office.
Kline pleaded not guilty to the charge, and his lawyer, Paul Moraski, said he “absolutely denies” the allegations.
On July 14, Peabody police were contacted by one of Kline’s patients who reported using the bathroom at the office earlier that day and seeing “a black plastic coat hook hanging on the wall next to the toilet tank that looked out of place,” Ryan’s office said.
“Upon further inspection, the patient observed a blue light on the side of the hanger and discovered that it appeared to be a hidden spy camera complete with a lens on the front, USB port, on/off switch, and an SD memory card,” the statement said. “The victim also documented what he observed on his personal cell phone and provided that to police.”
Police obtained a search warrant and discovered that the camera was no longer in the bathroom, but found “evidence suggesting it had previously been in place,” as well as “several pieces of digital evidence including hard drives and SD cards,” Ryan’s office said.
According to Kline’s lawyer, the hook in the bathroom was only a hook and nothing more.
“Dr. Scott Kline absolutely denies that he ever filmed, recorded, or photographed anyone while using the bathroom facilities at his office,” Moraski said in an email. “As he stated to police in his interview, the hook that was in the bathroom was just functioning as a hook and not as a camera. He was cooperative with police and gave two different interviews, explaining his side of the story.”
Moraski said Kline has been a chiropractor for almost 20 years and has treated more than 10,000 patients without any complaints.
“He is a small business owner who truly cares about his patients’ well-being and will continue to provide his patients with a high level of care,” Moraski said.
Kline’s bail was set at $10,000. He was ordered to stay away from and have no contact with the patient who reported finding the camera. The next court date is scheduled for Aug. 29, according to Ryan’s office.
The Essex district attorney’s office referred the case to Middlesex prosecutors “to avoid a potential conflict of interest,” Ryan’s office said.
Ryan’s office said investigators are working to identify other potential victims and anyone with information about the case is urged to contact Peabody police at 978-538-6300 or 978-531-1212.
Emily Sweeney can be reached at emily.sweeney@globe.com. Follow her @emilysweeney and on Instagram @emilysweeney22.