Dentist turns himself in after water bottle with hidden camera found in bathroom

WEIRTON, W.Va. ( WTRF ) – A West Virginia dentist turned himself in after employees said they found a water bottle containing a hidden surveillance camera in a bathroom.

An arrest warrant was issued for Dr. Jeremy Michael Crow, 45, of Washington, Pennsylvania, after Weirton police said an employee with Crow Dental Associates reported that she had found a water bottle containing a hidden surveillance camera in the staff-only bathroom on May 14.

“Our detectives conducted a thorough investigation, working very closely with the Brook County prosecutor’s office, because this is where the crime would have occurred,” said Chief Charlie Kush of the Weirton Police Department. “They had to go through a lot of evidence and talk to a lot of people. So, it did take time. But we feel very confident in the warrants that were obtained.”

During the nearly three-month investigation by Weirton police detectives, at least 10 female employees said they saw the same water bottle device in the bathroom.

Kush said he understands this may come as a shock to the community and the patients under the care of Crow Dental Associates.

“We don’t have any current evidence that there were any surveillance cameras or anything of that nature placed into the bathroom for the patients, for the public,” Kush said.

On Monday, Crow turned himself in to the Weirton Police Department and was charged with 39 misdemeanor counts of criminal invasion of privacy.

If found guilty, he faces up to one year in jail and a $5,000 fine for each count.

Crow was released on a $20,000 bond, and a pre-trial hearing is expected to be scheduled within the next two weeks.

Kush told Nexstar’s WTRF that many community members are concerned about the charges only being misdemeanors and not felonies. He said it’s West Virginia law and that this is the harshest punishment for the crimes Crow is accused of committing.

On Monday afternoon, WTRF received a statement from Robert McCoid, Crow’s lawyer, who called the case “thin soup.”

“Upon reviewing the criminal complaints charging Dr. Crow with misdemeanor offenses, we have concluded that the government’s case is thin soup at best,” said McCoid. “We are eager to test the prosecution’s evidence in the courtroom and look forward to his acquittal before a jury of his peers. In the meantime, Dr. Crow will continue as usual to provide the top-flight dental care to his patients that they have grown to expect and appreciate.”

Crow’s office was expected to be open Tuesday.

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