California Investigation Finds Multiple Doctors Who Are Sex Offenders

As reported on NBC11 in the Bay Area

A two-month NBC11 investigation has uncovered a dirty secret in the medical world. Dozens of doctors in California are registered sex offenders. Some of them have lost their licenses -- others are treating patients. A battle has raged in Sacramento to stop that, but a lawsuit filed by doctors took the teeth out of a new protective law. NBC11's Angie Crouch spent the past two months digging through paperwork, confronting doctors and asking what the state is doing to protect you the patient. According to Crouch, dozens of physicians have been convicted of heinous sex crimes including child molestation, rape, sodomy and child pornography.

NBC11's computer search of the state's registered sex offenders found more than 30 doctors -- some had their medical licenses revoked. Six are currently practicing medicine in California.

In Marin County, NBC11 found Richard Jaqua. He is a physician and surgeon, convicted in 1988 of molesting a 5-year-old girl. His medical license was revoked after he served 10 months in jail, five years probation, and went to therapy, including more than four years in a sexual offender treatment program. But a check of the medical board's Web site shows Jaqua's license is now renewed and current. He is practicing medicine and on indefinite probation.

Another one of those doctors is Dr. Thomas Tartaro, a Southern California neurologist. Melanie Lira says she was one of Tartaro's victims. "With me bent over the table and him rubbing his body against mine," she said. The state medical board's independent enforcement monitor says Tartaro's license was revoked in 1995 after he was convicted of sexual battery on a restrained victim.

"This doctor sexually molested 24 female patients on multiple occasions over a three- or four-year period," Julianne Fellmeth, an independent enforcement monitor, told NBC11. Tartaro was sentenced to 90 days in jail, five years probation and had a 4-year prison term suspended on the condition he obey the guidelines of probation. But in 2001, some were surprised when the state medical board reinstated Tartaro's license allowing him to practice medicine again with restrictions that include not allowing him to treat women. Lira said it was not (enough. "Whatever) I had done was in (vain!" she said.)

Tartaro refuses to discuss his case with the media.

Not specific to psychs, but still very much in the public interest.