Suburban chiropractor sentenced to 60 years after secretly recording kids undressing

Batavia Suburban chiropractor sentenced to 60 years after secretly recording kids undressing “If I could take off this robe and they let me sentence you, I’d give you every single day of 1,330 years,” the judge told Hanson, referring to the potential punishment he had faced before the plea agreement. By Christian Farr • Published 1 hour ago • Updated 24 minutes ago A former Batavia chiropractor who secretly recorded patients, including children, as they undressed inside his office was sentenced Tuesday to 60 years in prison. David Hanson received 30 years on each of two counts after pleading guilty in September to producing and disseminating child sexual abuse material. Stream NBC 5 for free, 24/7, wherever you are. WATCH HERE The sentence followed emotional statements from victims and their families at the Kane County courthouse, where Judge D.J. Tegeler sharply condemned Hanson’s actions and said he wished he could impose a much longer prison term. “If I could take off this robe and they let me sentence you, I’d give you every single day of 1,330 years,” Tegeler told Hanson, referring to the potential punishment he had faced before the plea agreement. Instead, the judge imposed the sentence recommended by prosecutors and the defense. More than 50 victims either addressed the court or submitted written statements, according to Kane County State’s Attorney Jamie Mosser. They described shattered trust, anxiety about seeking medical care and fears that private moments captured without their knowledge could continue circulating online. Among those who spoke were Riley Dunnett, Sophia Brummel and Preston Brummel. Local Health & Wellness 1 hour ago The Vaccine Divide: Immunization rates plummet as exemptions rise Kankakee County 2 hours ago Strangled on the high seas: Kankakee native charged in bloody cruise killing Sophia Brummel, 21, said she began going to Hanson’s practice when she was 14 and interned there during the summer 2025. “I just kept looking at him, and I just felt so much anger,” she said. For Dunnett, the betrayal has changed how she approaches medical appointments and other situations where she should feel safe. “I trusted him. I was around him. I talked to him. That just disgusts me,” Dunnett said. “It felt really good to feel heard by the judge and knowing that I’m not in this alone. [...] Hearing everyone else’s speeches helped me feel connected to the community.” Preston Brummel said he began receiving treatment from Hanson when he was 16 and later used the practice’s red light therapy services. He welcomed the judge’s forceful remarks. "Someone said that he's a wolf in sheep's clothing. He's definitely a monster, and he deserved that that beating from the judge,” Brummel said. Investigators determined Hanson secretly recorded more than 180 patients as they undressed or were unclothed inside Batavia-based Hanson Family Chiropractic. Some of the recordings were distributed online. During Tuesday’s hearing, Tegeler described cameras concealed inside fans in a private red light therapy room, positioned to record patients from different angles. Mosser said the conduct spanned years and involved hundreds of victims . The full number, she said, may never be known. “I know today alone we had over 50 victims who either testified in court or provided something in writing, and the amount may never be known depending on what he did versus what we were able to actually find,” she said. The investigation began with a cyber tip, Mosser said. Batavia police partnered with investigators from the state’s attorney’s Child Exploitation Unit, serving search warrants at Hanson’s business and home. Investigators spent extensive time examining hidden and encrypted technology and identifying people in the recordings. Authorities also established a tip line for former patients concerned that they or their children might have been recorded. Hanson was arrested in November 2025. A grand jury later returned a 76-count indictment before he pleaded guilty to the two offenses in September. Mosser said the negotiated resolution followed discussions involving victims and their families. It was intended to spare them the trauma of a trial and the possibility of repeated testimony and years of appeals. “Today is justice for every single one of these victims and this community, because now this is done,” Mosser said. Hanson declined an opportunity to make a statement in open court before he was sentenced. While the criminal case has reached sentencing, civil lawsuits remain pending. Attorney Maura White, whose firm represents some of the victims, said families have struggled with lasting emotional harm and a loss of trust in medical settings. For those who confronted Hanson on Tuesday, the sentence offered relief, but healing will take longer. “Obviously I’m glad that he is not gonna be walking the streets. We’re not gonna have to see him,” Sophia Brummel said. “But I think it is something that’s gonna take a long time for all of us to heal from, and it’s something that we’re gonna remember for the rest of our lives.” This article tagged under: Batavia