AVON–A doctor from Avon who was accused of sexually assaulting several female patients was charged in 2014, but on Thursday those charges were dropped.
“A heavy burden has been lifted off of my shoulders with the nullification of those false accusations…We were blessed to be able to prove clearly that those heinous accusations were false and I thank all who stood beside me during those difficult times,” Dr. Khosro Pourkavoos said in a statement on Thursday after the sexual assault charges against him were dropped.
In January 2014, Dr. Pourkavoos was arrested and charged with sexually assaulting two female patients under the false pretense that the inappropriate touching was for medical purposes. Then, in June 2014, he turned himself in on further charges when nine other female patients came forward. Most of the charges alleged that he touched female patients in inappropriate areas during examinations for reasons that weren’t medically necessary.
All along, Dr. Pourkavoos maintained his innocence, saying he was the victim of “sloppy police work.”
In total, he was charged with one count of sexual assault in the first degree with use of threat of force; eight counts of sexual assault in the second degree–false report of medical purpose; and six counts of sexual assault in the second degree–false report of medical purpose.
The state statues that he was charged under say:
- A person is guilty of aggravated sexual assault in the first degree when such person commits sexual assault in the first degree and in the commission of such offense such person uses or is armed with and threatens the use of or displays or represents by such person’s words or conduct that such person possesses a deadly weapon
- A person is guilty of sexual assault in the second degree when such person engages in sexual intercourse with another person and the actor accomplishes the sexual intercourse by means of false representation that the sexual intercourse is for a bona fide medical purpose by a health care professional
- A person is guilty of sexual assault in the fourth degree when such person subjects another person to sexual contact and accomplishes the sexual contact by means of false representation that the sexual contact is for a bona fide medical purpose by a health care professional
On Thursday when Pourkavoos appeared in court the judge dropped the charges against him after the prosecutor requested the dismissal. The prosecutor said there was not enough evidence to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt.
“Today’s action by the court came about because of the opinions of expert doctors who evaluated all the relevant medical records and concerns of the patients involved in this case,” said one of Dr. Pourkavoos’ attorneys, Jim Bergenn. “Both the state and the defense expert doctors concluded that in each of these studied cases, Dr. Pourkavoos provided medical care necessary for his patients’ own health and safety.”
The statement from Dr. Pourkavoos’ law team indicated that other medical experts examined the specific situations called into question as “inappropriate” and determined that the doctor performed medically necessary examinations. This information was handed to the prosecutor, who had a state doctor review the case. That doctor agreed with the medical experts, leading to the charges being dropped.
There are still several civil lawsuits pending against Dr. Pourkavoos, according to the state’s judicial records.