U.S. Military physician who sexually abused dozens of troopers at Joint Base Lewis-McChord will get over 13 years in jail

U.S. Military physician who sexually abused dozens of troopers at Joint Base Lewis-McChord will get over 13 years in jail

A army physician who pleaded responsible to sexually abusing dozens of male troopers at Joint Base Lewis-McChord was sentenced Wednesday to simply over 13 years in jail, was ordered to forfeit all pay and allowances and was dismissed from the U.S. Military.

Maj. Michael Stockin, an anesthesiologist and ache administration specialist on the base’s Madigan Military Medical Heart, pleaded responsible on Jan. 8 to 36 specs, or counts, of abusive sexual contact and 5 of indecent viewing, mentioned Michelle McCaskill, spokesperson with the U.S. Military Workplace of Particular Trial Counsel.

“The sentence imposed by the court docket holds Maj. Stockin accountable for each particular person he victimized by means of his crimes,” Maj. Allyson Montgomery, prosecutor, Military Workplace of Particular Trial Counsel, mentioned in a press release. “The outcomes of this continuing shine a light-weight on the trauma brought on by Maj. Stockin by permitting the voices of each sufferer to be heard in a public listening to.”

JBLM is the Military’s fifth-largest base and is about 47 miles south of Seattle. The Madigan medical heart is the Military’s second-largest medical therapy facility.

After his plea, 22 of the 41 victims testified in regards to the trauma and misery they endured due to Stockin’s abuse. Many mentioned Stockin induced them to undergo damaging emotional, bodily, and psychological hurt due to the crimes dedicated in opposition to them.

“The resilience of the victims on this case needs to be celebrated,” mentioned lead prosecutor Maj. Ryan Keeter. “They’ve been residing with the trauma that has come from Maj. Stockin’s actions for years and the final 16 months of litigation on the way in which to this court-martial has not been straightforward. I thank them for his or her endurance, their energy, and their willpower for justice.”

Maj. Michael Stockin
Maj. Michael Stockin

In a report that first aired on “CBS Mornings” final February, two males described alleged misconduct that occurred below the guise of medical care from Stockin.  

One of many males mentioned he sought the physician’s assist to handle arthritis in his shoulders, and mentioned he was at first “very confused” by Stockin’s examination.

“Myself and Dr. Stockin had been left alone within the room. He first checked my shoulders after which he requested me to face up and to drag down my pants and raise up my robe,” he mentioned. “Dr. Stockin, he was face stage with my groin, and he began touching my genitals.”

The opposite mentioned he was sexually abused by Stockin on three events and described the same expertise of receiving what he known as an “alternate evaluation.” He mentioned he struggled to grasp why this go to was not like any he had beforehand encountered with a doctor. 

“Even with my spouse I could not deliver myself to speak by means of what occurred,” he mentioned, “It simply felt very uncomfortable.”

Stockin’s lawyer, Robert Capovilla, mentioned the physician confronted greater than 300 years of jail, however his sentence was capped at simply over a dozen years.

“Main Stockin took full duty for his actions, and he made no excuses,” Capovilla mentioned in an e-mail. “The Protection hopes and prays that the victims and Main Stockin will lastly have the ability to heal and to maneuver ahead with their lives.”

Attorneys representing 22 of Stockin’s former sufferers have filed Federal Tort Claims Act complaints in opposition to the Military and Division of Protection on behalf of the servicemen, claiming the businesses had been negligent in hiring, supervising and retaining Stockin. Every is looking for $5 million in damages for the emotional misery they are saying they’ve suffered.

Christine Dunn, representing the victims, mentioned Stockin’s sentencing supplies some sense of justice,” however for our purchasers, actual justice requires holding the Military accountable for its function in permitting this to occur.”

The Military failed their purchasers and different victims, scarring them for all times, Dunn mentioned in an e-mail.

“In the course of the sentencing listening to, sufferer after sufferer described the emotional affect the sexual abuse has had on their lives,” Dunn mentioned. “These courageous troopers at the moment are riddled with anxiousness and disgrace – lots of them terrified to even search medical consideration.”

The Military launched an investigation into Stockin in 2022 after receiving a number of complaints, McCaskill mentioned. He was suspended from affected person care and was given administrative duties. He was formally charged in August 2023 with 23 counts of abusive sexual contact. In January 2024, the Military Workplace of Particular Trial Counsel referred 52 fees and specs, stemming from allegations by 41 male sufferers he handled between 2019 and 2022.

Stockin can be transferred to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, the place he’ll serve his jail sentence, McCaskill mentioned. Based mostly on his crimes, he’ll be required to register as a intercourse offender and can be topic to federal and state intercourse offender registration necessities as soon as launched from jail.

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