Authorities arrested a former USC gynecologist at the center of a sexual misconduct case involving hundreds of women. Prosecutors charged the man with more than two dozen felonies, predominantly sex crimes. Investigators also turned up a large cache of images of nude women in the man’s apartment and storage unit. Some of the images appear to have been made in a clinical setting. Authorities have already reviewed about 1,000 tapes from the trove looking for additional evidence.

At the time of his arrest, the suspect carried a loaded .38 handgun. He did not have a concealed weapons permit. Immediately following his arrest, the man began complaining of chest pains. First responders took the man to a local hospital, before transporting him to jail. In court, the doctor pleaded not guilty to sexually abusing 16 patients. The prosecutor selected only a small fraction of the complaints for prosecution, after receiving reports from hundreds of women.

The charges stem from the doctor’s actions in the last seven years of his practice at USC. He had worked at the university for 27 years. The prosecutor reviewed complaints from 145 women regarding their contact with the suspect. Criminal complaints within that timeframe fall within the statute of limitations that applies to these cases. The Prosecutor’s Office indicated that they are still reviewing cases and will likely file more charges. The man currently faces 18 counts of sexual penetration of an unconscious person, and 11 counts of sexual battery. The victims ranged in age from 17 to 29 at the time of the incidents.

Patients lodged numerous complaints against the man during his university employment, but the University didn’t take corrective action until 2016. The man left university employment in 2017 after an undisclosed settlement that included no medical board complaints.

If convicted on the existing charges, the man could face a sentence of more than 50 years in prison. He returns to court on July 12 for a preliminary hearing. Meanwhile, he remains jailed in lieu of a $2.075M bond.

Los Angeles sex crimes lawyer

When you face charges for sexual offenses, hire an experienced sex crimes lawyer like Robert Helfend. Mr. Helfend has 35 years of experience in criminal defense. He takes cases in Los Angeles County and throughout Southern California. In his decades of practice, he has defended thousands of Californians.

Convictions for sexual offenses aren’t like other convictions. Your conviction history will follow you around in the form of the state’s Sex Offender Registry. Upon release from custody or supervision, you’ll be required to register with the state. Local law enforcement agencies will enforce registration requirements and compliance issues. You cannot move anywhere without re-registering in your new location. Likewise, you are unlikely to be able to remove yourself from the state’s sex offender registry.

Mr. Helfend is a top-rated defense lawyer who devotes his practice exclusively to criminal defense. He has built a reputation as an aggressive defender. He’s not simply in court to make a deal with the prosecutors, although sometimes that can benefit his clients. He fights to get the charges against them reduced or dropped. This makes a major difference in the outcome of a case. Don’t settle for inexperience when you can have an award-winning lawyer on your side.

Contact Robert Helfend or call toll-free at (800) 834-6434, (310) 456-3317, (818) 591-2809 or (805) 273-5611 for an immediate consultation on your Los Angeles County sex crimes case.

Photo Credit: Peter Szanto, via Flickr.com