A San Francisco doctor found guilty of sex assaults told at least three of his patients that a vaginal exam was necessary to diagnose their complaints of head, neck and back pain.
A San Francisco Superior Court jury on Wednesday convicted 56-year-old Jose Rosas of sexually assaulting three female patients in separate incidents that go as far back as 2002.
Rosas told the women a pelvic exam was necessary to diagnose their conditions and "conducted the vaginal exams in an inappropriate and unprofessional manner by digitally penetrating the victim patients for prolonged periods of time," according to the District Attorney's Office.
The jury deliberated for three days before finding the general practitioner, who worked in private practice in the city's Mission District, guilty of three counts of sexual assault and additional counts of dissuading a witness and elder abuse.
Prosecutors said Rosas was originally from Peru and cared for primarily Spanish-speaking patients, and the three victims, two of them seniors, came to him seeking help for symptoms such as head, back and neck pain.
"This defendant abused the legal trust between doctor and patient to sexually assault and violate the patients he took an oath to heal," District Attorney Kamala Harris said in a prepared statement.
The incidents took place in July 2002, March 2005 and May 2007.
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Rosas was arrested after the second incident in 2005, and over prosecutors' objections, was allowed to post bail on the conditions that he not conduct any further pelvic exams or examine any female patients without a chaperone, according to Assistant District Attorney Michael Swart.
He was then rearrested after the 2007 incident and once again allowed to post bail by a second judge, Swart said.
Following his conviction Wednesday, Rosas was taken into custody and faces a range of sentencing from probation to 18 years in prison, according to Swart. He is scheduled to be sentenced July 21.
Rosas' medical license in California was suspended in 2007, and with conviction, may be permanently barred from practicing in California.
Rosas' attorney, Jonathan McDougall, was not immediately available for comment Thursday.
