Texas man charged in Hennepin, Carver counties for filming boys in Life Time Fitness locker room

A Texas man has been charged with several counts of interfering with a minor’s privacy after being caught filming in two separate Life Time Fitness locker rooms in the metro area.

Michael Scott Howard, 50, of Dallas, Texas, was charged on Monday in Carver County with five counts of interfering with the privacy of a minor and six counts of interfering with privacy by recording.

Howard was charged last summer in Hennepin County with two counts of interfering with the privacy of a minor.

The charges in both counties stem from a June 2024 investigation in which police were called to an Eden Prairie Life Time Fitness after a person reported that Howard was taking photos on a hidden camera on his phone.

Law enforcement later searched Howard’s phone and confirmed it did appear to have a hidden camera attached.

A search of Howard’s phone uncovered at least 23 video files and “significantly more photographs,” all of which appear to have been taken in the Life Time Fitness men’s locker room.

Law enforcement says the majority of these videos and photos depicted underage boys, some as young as 14 years old, in various stages of undressing, including fully nude. The victims did not appear to be aware they were being filmed.

Overall, at least 63 victims were seen undressing on video, the complaint added.

The investigation in Eden Prairie later led law enforcement to learn that several of the videos were taken at a Life Time Fitness in Chanhassen.

Detectives identified six adults and five minors who were victims at the Chanhassen gym.

Howard is due in Hennepin County court on March 3 for a settlement conference and in Carver County court on Feb. 21 for a first appearance.