MEDFORD, Ore. – A Medford chiropractor entered pleas of “guilty” and “no contest” to numerous charges of sex abuse Thursday.
Earlier this year, three female patients of 53-year-old Scott Cooper claimed he touched them in a sexual and unwanted manner during chiropractic adjustments and massage therapy sessions.
All three made statements claiming Cooper touched “intimate parts of the female victims,” according to the Medford Police Department. The touching was described as “sexual” and outside standard chiropractic care.
Cooper was arrested on January 17 at Cooper Chiropractic in the 700 block of East Main Street.
Police said after Cooper was taken into custody, another victim came forward. Her statements were consistent with the allegations of the other females.
The victims who came forward at the time were between the ages of 17 and 32-years-old. A report by the Oregon Board of Chiropractic Examiners (OBCE) states three of the four alleged victims claimed Cooper touched their breast and genitals. The 17-year-old alleges Cooper sexually penetrated her with his fingers.
On February 8, the Jackson County District Attorney’s Office announced a grand jury indicted Cooper for the alleged crimes. Charges against him include one count of sexual abuse in the second degree, 20 counts of sexual abuse in the third degree and ten counts of sexual harassment.
12 witnesses testified before the grand jury, as well as ten victims. Jurors deliberated for less than five minutes before returning with the indictment. Cooper was subsequently ordered to immediately stop practicing as a chiropractic physician on January 26, 2018, pending the outcome of the case.
On June 21, 2018, the Jackson County District Attorney’s Office announced Cooper pleaded “no contest” to nine counts of sexual abuse in the third degree, “guilty” to three counts of sex abuse in the third degree and “guilty” to one count of sex abuse in the first degree. He was ordered to serve four years in the Oregon Department of Corrections. He will no longer be allowed to be employed as the chiropractic or massage field and must register as a sex offender.
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