Former UCLA gynecologist sentenced to 11 years for sexual assault
A former UCLA obstetrician-gynecologist was sentenced Tuesday to 11 years in prison after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting patients. James Heaps, 69, admitted to 13 counts, including six felony counts of sexual penetration of an unconscious person, five counts of sexual battery by fraud, and two counts of sexual exploitation of a patient, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
Heaps’s career at UCLA spanned 35 years, during which the university paid nearly $700 million to settle civil claims related to his conduct. He is also required to register as a sex offender for life, the DA’s office said.
His plea followed an appeals court ruling that overturned his 2023 conviction, citing concerns that a juror did not speak enough English to fulfill their duties properly. His attorney, Leonard Levine, told The Associated Press that “justice is slow, but it’s finally been done,” and suggested Heaps might eventually be exonerated. Levine did not immediately comment to Fox News Digital.
Prosecutors emphasized the gravity of the crimes. Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said, “Heaps exploited the sacred trust between a doctor and patient to prey on vulnerable victims during medical procedures. This sentence ensures accountability for the harm he caused.” Hochman added that the victims could find closure in the outcome and reaffirmed the district attorney’s office’s commitment to fighting for survivors.
In 2023, former patients accused Heaps of groping them, making suggestive comments, or conducting unnecessarily invasive exams at UCLA’s student health center, the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, and his campus office. Lawsuits claimed the university ignored complaints and allowed the abuse to continue. The DA’s office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
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