Batavia, Illinois, chiropractor pleads guilty to secret recording of undressing patients, including children

A chiropractor from Batavia, Illinois, pleaded guilty Thursday to felony counts related to secretly videotaping patients, including children, as they took off their clothes in his office.

The Kane County State's Attorney's office announced Thursday that Dr. David Hanson pleaded guilty to producing and disseminating child sexual abuse material, both Class X felonies.

These were two counts in a 76-count indictment against Hanson.

As a result of the plea, he could spend up to 60 years in prison, and will be required to forever register as a sex offender.

Kane County prosecutors said Hanson secretly videotaped nearly 200 patients, including children, while they undressed inside his chiropractic office, and shared the videos online.

"This is important for victims to get this level of accountability. It means that their voices are being heard," said Maura White, senior attorney at Romanucci & Blandin. "This was a satisfying day for victims in this case, but it was a difficult day."

Prosecutors said investigators found more than 180 videos of his patients as they undressed. Most were filmed on hidden cameras in a red-light room used for red-light and infrared therapy, which requires a person undergoing the therapy to undress. Prosecutors said the recordings were made between 2016 and 2025.

Prosecutors said last year that the youngest victim was just 3 years old.

Hanson also possessed and disseminated child sexual abuse material not connected to his chiropractic office, prosecutors said.

White represents four members of the same family and has filed a civil lawsuit against Hasnon.

"There is a long way to go for full accountably for what happened to these victims in this case," she said.

Attorney Tom Connelly also filed a civil lawsuit on behalf of one woman, identified only as Jane Doe, and her two children. The complaint accuses Hanson of hiding cameras "to look like Honeywell room fans" and encouraging her to "perform stretches in the red-light room while naked."

Proposed legislation passed unanimously in the Illinois House would create a clear path for minors and their families to sue people who illegally record children in private locations.

"Children have a reasonable expectation for privacy, and if you violate that then there should be a specific track that they can go and pursue justice on their behalf," said State Rep. Curtis Tarver III, who represents Illinois' 25th District.

Kane County Judge D.J. Tegler set a sentencing hearing for Hanson for Nov. 10.