Editor's Note: This article has been updated to clarify the location where recording devices were found and to include a statement from Neuro Wellness Spa, which was not the location at which alleged offenses occurred.
A Manhattan Beach therapist is at the center of a disturbing federal case after prosecutors say he secretly recorded children inside a clinic bathroom. A newly unsealed federal complaint alleges that multiple victims between the ages of 8 and 12 were caught on hidden recordings, and that federal agents found explicit material during a recent search. The therapist, identified as 30-year-old Joseph Toews, is now facing federal child pornography charges tied to those alleged recordings.
Federal complaint details
According to FOX 11 Los Angeles, the unsealed complaint says the FBI recovered at least 11 videos involving eight different children, and that some of the alleged victims may have been Toews' patients. Assistant U.S. Attorney Clifford Mpare told FOX 11, "That stall that was used for these videos was in his place of work, where he worked in therapy." Mpare further clarified that the recording devices were found at Toews's home, and not at Neuro Wellness Spa. Prosecutors also say a review of his electronic devices turned up additional explicit videos and that he allegedly bought child sexual abuse material on dark-web sites using Bitcoin.
Clinic, staff and scene
Provider listings identify Toews as an associate marriage-and-family therapist at Neuro Wellness Spa on North Sepulveda Boulevard in Manhattan Beach, and the clinic's NPI entry gives the office address as 1101 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Ste. 201, according to the NPI registry. That site is one of several Neuro Wellness Spa locations in Southern California, and directories had previously listed Toews as part of the Manhattan Beach care team. Federal investigators conducted a search at the clinic's building as part of their investigation.
Shock in the building
People who work in the same building said the scene unfolded quickly and left them rattled. "I saw about 10 different officers. They brought in a dog. I had no idea what was going on," Tabitha Fowler, who works in the building, told FOX 11 Los Angeles. Other employees told the outlet they were "creeped out" and described the accusations as "very, very disgusting."
Statement from Neuro Wellness Spa
Neuro Wellness Spa issued the following statement: "Neuro Wellness Spa, which prioritizes patient safety, the highest professional standards, and quality of care, was shocked when it learned about the arrest of a former employee who worked at the company as an associate therapist for less than two years. NWS does not treat any patients under the age of twelve and during his limited time there he never saw any non-adult patients. Neuro Wellness Spa was unaware of these actions which are entirely unrelated to his past role there, and there is no evidence that any cameras or recording devices were installed or any illicit videos taken by this former employee or anyone else at NWS's facility. The company has and will continue to cooperate with law enforcement on this matter."
Charges, penalties and next steps
Federal prosecutors have charged Toews with child pornography offenses connected to the alleged recordings and the material agents say they found on his devices. If convicted of production or related federal counts, defendants face severe penalties, and production of child pornography carries a statutory maximum of roughly 30 years in prison, according to guidance from the U.S. Sentencing Commission. Prosecutors have told reporters they expect Toews to formally plead guilty in the coming weeks, and upcoming hearings and filings are expected to spell out the precise charges and potential sentence range.
Mandated reporters and fallout
In California, marriage-and-family therapists are specifically named as mandated reporters under the Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act, which requires certain professionals to alert authorities when they suspect child abuse. The state's Board of Behavioral Sciences can take disciplinary action, including public reprimand, suspension or revocation of a license, if a licensee is found guilty of unprofessional conduct. For more on those requirements and enforcement tools, see California Penal Code § 11165.7 and the Board of Behavioral Sciences guidance.
