Peabody chiropractor accused of hiding camera inside an office bathroom

A Peabody chiropractor has been charged with allegedly hiding a camera in the bathroom of his business.

Scott Kline, 44, of Middleton, allegedly hid a camera next to the toilet in the bathroom of his Chestnut Street chiropractic business, Back on Track, the Middlesex County District Attorney’s office said in a press release.

Kline referred Boston.com to his lawyer, Paul Moraski, who declined to give comment late Wednesday night, but indicated he may offer comment at a later date.

How the camera was discovered

According to the D.A.’s office, the camera was discovered on July 14 when one of Kline’s patients noticed a black plastic coat hook on the wall next to the toilet tank and thought it looked out of place. The patient looked closer and discovered a “hidden spy camera” with an SD memory card and a blue light.

The patient took pictures of the camera with his phone, the release said. A police report about the incident said the patient later tried to go back and retrieve the camera by pretending he left something in the bathroom, but found that it had been removed, Boston 25 News reported.

The patient and his father confronted Kline about the camera later that day, the news station reported. Kline reportedly didn’t deny that he had the camera, but asked them not to report him to the police because “he has a family,” and tried to make a deal with them, the station reported.

Kline then texted a police officer twice that night alleging that it was all a misunderstanding, Boston 25 News reported. When he eventually did speak to police, he reportedly had trouble explaining the camera and other evidence, giving conflicting and differing explanations at different times.

What police found at Kline’s office

The patient contacted police about the camera later on July 14, and police soon obtained and executed a search warrant on Back on Track, the release said. While police didn’t find the camera itself, they found evidence that it had once been there.

Police also obtained digital evidence, including hard drives and SD cards, the release said. The Velcro used to hang the camera looked dirty, as if it had been taken off and put back many times, according to the Boston 25 report.

What happens next

Investigators are still processing evidence and working to identify potential victims, the release said. Kline’s patients, anyone who thinks they may be a victim, or anyone who has information about this case is asked to contact Peabody police at 978-538-6300.

Kline was arraigned Tuesday in Peabody District Court on the charge of photographing an unsuspecting nude person. The judge set bail at $10,000 and ordered him to stay away from the reporting party. Authorities also notified the state licensing board which governs chiropractors, the release said.

After the arraignment, the Essex District Attorney’s office referred the case to the Middlesex District Attorney’s office to avoid a potential conflict of interest, the release said. It is unclear what the potential conflict of interest may be.

Kline is due back in court for a pre-trial conference on Aug. 29.