A Kentucky man previously charged with privacy violations at an Eden Prairie fitness center now faces four additional felony counts of possessing child pornography, according to Hennepin County court records.
Michael Scott Howard, 50, was originally charged in 2024 with two felony counts of interference with privacy after prosecutors said he secretly recorded people in the men’s locker room at Life Time Eden Prairie Athletic, 755 Prairie Center Drive.
A forensic search of a hard drive recovered from Howard’s vehicle allegedly uncovered 343 flagged images and 80 videos containing suspected child sexual abuse material, leading to the new charges.
At the time of his initial arrest, Howard’s address was listed in Dallas, Texas, but his most recent residence is in Louisville, Kentucky. He was not in custody when the latest charges were filed and has been issued a summons to appear in Hennepin County District Court on Feb. 26.
In the privacy case, prosecutors say Howard used a hidden camera to record multiple people undressing in the Life Time locker room, including some believed to be minors. He has pleaded not guilty to both counts of interference with privacy. His next court appearances in that case are a settlement conference on March 3 and a jury trial scheduled for March 31.
Howard’s attorney in the privacy case did not respond to a request for comment.
Comments
We offer several ways for our readers to provide feedback. Your comments are welcome on our social media posts (Facebook, X, Instagram, Threads, and LinkedIn). We also encourage Letters to the Editor; submission guidelines can be found on our Contact Us page. If you believe this story has an error or you would like to get in touch with the author, please connect with us.