An Army gynecologist in Texas under investigation amid accusations he'd secretly videotaped and sexually exploited his patients has been charged with "indecent visual recording," "conduct unbecoming an officer," and other charges involving 44 alleged victims, the Army announced on Dec. 9.

The Army charged Maj. Blaine McGraw with four charges and 61 "specifications," the military term for counts, 54 of them related to "indecent" recording, according to a press release. He is also accused of disobeying a superior officer and making a false official statement.

Army officials began an internal investigation of the gynecologist at Texas' Fort Hood on Oct. 17 after the husband of a servicemember reported he was secretly filming his wife during an exam. McGraw was suspended from his practice at Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center that same day. Since then, the Army has contacted at least 1,400 of McGraw's former patients, according to Kamil Sztalkoper, an Army spokesperson.

The charges involve 44 alleged victims and incidents that occurred between Jan. 1 and Dec. 1 of this year, according to the press release.

The majority of the incidents involved female patients who saw McGraw at his practice, according to the Army. McGraw is also accused of recording one person who was not his patient "at a private residence off-post."

McGraw also faces a civil suit brought by a woman who says he used his position to "sexually exploit, manipulate, and secretly record women under his care," according to court documents. Her lawsuit also accuses the Army of failing to stop McGraw, despite multiple complaints about him, including during his past post at Tripler Army Medical Center in Hawaii.

McGraw is being held in Bell County Jail. He was placed in pretrial confinement on Dec. 2 after he violated "conditions of liberty" set by a military commander, the Army announced on Dec. 4.

Fort Hood, around 70 miles north of Austin, is the third-largest military base in the U.S.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Army OB-GYN charged with secret filming of patients, 44 victims cited

Reporting by Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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