A South Bay therapist has been sentenced to more than 16 years in federal prison for installing a hidden camera in a bathroom at his workplace and recording women and girls, including some of his clients, according to the federal prosecutors.
Joseph Toews, 31, a Manhattan Beach family therapist, pleaded guilty to one count of producing child pornography in June and was sentenced on Tuesday, Sept. 29.
In January 2023, Toews placed a camera in his office building’s bathroom, recording women and girls, including some therapy clients, according to the Department of Justice. He recorded at least 11 videos involving minors, prosecutors said.
The victims were between the ages of 8 and 12, according to a release from the FBI at the time of his arrest.
“His conduct was not a spur of the moment happening,” according to a prosecution sentencing memorandum. “[Toews] had been stockpiling CSAM [child sexual abuse material] prior to his decision to create CSAM of his own.”
In a nearly three-year period from early 2023 to late 2025, Toews admitted to, as a part of his plea agreement, purchasing child sexual abuse material from dark net online video stores, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
In addition to his prison sentence, Toews was fined $50,000, ordered to pay a special assessment of $55,000 and will be on supervised release for 25 years following his release.