The man known as the "naked photographer" has had his law license reinstated by the Ohio Supreme Court. Stephen P. Linnen, 43, can practice law but will remain on probation for three years, monitored by the Columbus Bar Association, the court ruled on Monday.

The man known as the �naked photographer� has had his law license reinstated by the Ohio Supreme Court.

Stephen P. Linnen, 43, can practice law but will remain on probation for three years, monitored by the Columbus Bar Association, the court ruled on Monday.

He also will be supervised for three years by the Ohio Lawyers Assistance Program, which provides counseling to lawyers with addiction issues. He must remain crime-free and pay about $4,200 in legal costs.

Linnen, who lives in the Clintonville neighborhood, pleaded guilty in 2005 to 53 misdemeanor charges of public indecency, sexual imposition and criminal trespassing. He served an 18-month sentence in jail and under house arrest.

In incidents in 2002 and 2003, Linnen surprised women in public areas by wearing nothing but a cap and shoes and then snapping photographs of their reactions. Images of some of his encounters with his 38 victims were found in his apartment, police said.

At the time, Linnen was a legal counsel to Larry Householder, who was the speaker of the Ohio House.

Linnen said he was a sex addict driven by pressures and depression. �I sought a euphoric outlet in some way to medicate the psychological pain I was feeling, some way to kind of give a jolt to my system to bring me out of my depression,� Linnen wrote in a 2005 deposition.

After his conviction, the Ohio Supreme Court stripped him of his license to practice.

The Columbus Bar Association, which successfully sought the revocation of Linnen�s license in 2006, was neutral when Linnen sought reinstatement last year, said Bradley Frick, a lawyer who represents the association.

A three-person panel held a hearing on Linnen�s reinstatement request in October. During that hearing, three mental-health professionals testified that Linnen was effectively rehabilitated and that chances of him having a relapse were low, Frick said.

�They believed he was ready to resume a normal practice,� Frick said.

Linnen did not return a phone message seeking comment last night.

jwoods@dispatch.com

@Woodsnight