Former doctor pleads guilty to videotaping people in Peoria hospital bathroom

PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — A former neurological surgery resident with the University of Illinois College of Medicine pleaded guilty to illegally videotaping people in bathrooms at OSF HealthCare Saint Francis Medical Center.

Henry Chang, 28, pleaded guilty to two counts of unauthorized videotaping, felonies that could send him to prison for up to three years on each count. He’s also eligible for probation.

In return, Peoria County agreed to drop 54 other and nearly identical counts. However, First Assistant State’s Attorney David Gast noted that his office could use the allegations in those charges at his May 28 sentencing.

Also, victims in all 56 incidents — both men and women — can submit a victim impact statement to Chief Peoria County Judge Katherine Gorman to explain what effect, if any, the videotaping had on them.

Chang was in his first year of residency and was working at Saint Francis from June 21 through August 16, 2023. Both the hospital and a state official with the department that regulates medical licenses confirmed not long after that he was not employed by Saint Francis and that his temporary medical permit had been revoked.

At the time, hospital officials said they believed a single camera was placed under the sink in two different single-stall bathrooms in the staff area of the intensive care unit. Only employees were in the videos and no patients, officials said at the time.

Chang remains free on bond pending his sentencing.

This story will be updated.