The US Army has charged a military doctor with alleged sexual assault in a case with at least 23 victims that could be the service’s largest abuse case in years.
Major Michael Stockin, 37, was charged following a year-long Army investigation, reported The Washington Post.
Military officials say that Maj Stockin, an anesthesiologist working at a pain clinic at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, was barred from treating patients in February 2022.
Charges against the doctor “include abusive sexual contact and indecent viewing” in violation of military law, Army spokesperson Cynthia Smith said in a statement.
The Army has not yet released the specific charges, with Ms Smith calling it “inappropriate” at this time.
One soldier told The Post last week that he had reported the doctor after being treated by him at the pain management clinic in January 2022.
He alleged that he was seeking treatment for a back injury, but was asked by Major Stocking to drop his trousers while he allegedly touched his ankles and legs. The doctor is also accused of holding the soldier’s genitals.
The Post says that a charge sheet it obtained shows Maj Stocking has been charged with one count of sexual assault in that case
Maj Stockin’s lawyer, Robert Capovilla, said that the Army was in the process of scheduling a hearing in the case.
“The Government and the Defense are in the process of scheduling the Article 32 Preliminary Hearing in Major Stockin’s case. Our sincere hope is that the Army prioritizes Major Stockin’s privacy and his Constitutional right to a fair trial moving forward,” he said in a statement to The Independent.
“It’s no secret that the Army has faced immense pressure from Congress and the Media on how they’ve handled sexual assault cases in the past. From my view, much of that criticism is exaggerated. The Army is far more aggressive in pursuing sexual assault allegations than nearly any other legal jurisdiction that I’ve worked with.”
And he added: “That being said, the Army cannot forget that Major Stockin is cloaked in the presumption of innocence and my sincere hope is that the Army does everything in its power to ensure a fair process for Major Stockin and not just the alleged victims.
“The Army has been investigating this case for more than a year and the Defense must be given adequate time and resources to properly prepare our defense.”
Ryan Guilds, a lawyer representing alleged victims in the case, told The Post that he was “deeply concerned” about a lack of communication from the Army.
