Michigan psychiatrist charged with 14 more crimes involving sex with patients
June 25, 2012
Fourteen additional criminal charges, all but one involving sexual assault, have been filed against a Monroe psychiatrist who is accused of having inappropriate relations with up to eight women who were his patients.
Dr. Abdullahi A. Mohamed, 58, who lives in Dearborn Heights but has a practice in Monroe, remains free on a $100,000 bond. The 14 criminal charges were filed by the Monroe County Prosecutor’s Office. Dr. Mohamed is expected to be arraigned on those charges later this month.
Assistant Prosecutor Amara Hunter reported that after the psychiatrist was charged in May with sexually assaulting a patient in his office, numerous other female patients came forward to report assaults ranging from fondling to oral sex.
“He abused his authority,” Ms. Hunter said. “They were vulnerable.”
Of the 14 additional charges filed 13 were criminal sexual conduct- fourth degree, mental health professional, which is a two-year misdemeanor, but is treated by the courts as a felony. The 14th count was assault and battery.
In May Dr. Mohamed was arrested and charged with criminal sexual conduct-third and fourth degrees after a woman contacted police to report that she was sexually assaulted during a visit at Dr. Mohamed’s office at the Outpatient Behavioral Health Center at 700 Stewart Rd. Third degree sexual assault carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison.
Once that incident became public, numerous other patients contacted the Michigan State Police to report that they also had been assaulted. Detective Sgt. Marc Moore of the Monroe post said the 14 charges were the result of eight additional victims who came forward.
Ms. Hunter said the victims were patients of Dr. Mohamed, who accepted their Medicare insurance and filled their prescriptions. She said it appeared they succumbed to his advances because they were afraid that he would not prescribe their medicine and there were no other area psychiatrists who accept Medicare.
Sgt. Moore said all the victims are women and most had been patients of Dr. Mohamed for months or years without incident. However, all reported his behavior changing around January.
Dr. Mohamed has an office in Dearborn but Ms. Hunter said authorities in Wayne County have not had any similar reports filed. Dr. Mohamed also was a staff physician at Mercy Memorial Hospital and reportedly has been terminated but that could not be verified Friday night.
Dr. Mohamed’s medical license remains active, according to the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. His Michigan medical license was issued in 2004 and expires in January, 2015. The agency reported on its website that Dr. Mohamed has no formal complaints filed against him nor has he faced disciplinary action. Officials said, however, that could change as the legal case moves forward.
Dr. Mohamed’s attorney, Barry A. Resnick of Farmington Hills, was unavailable for comment Friday. However, last month he said his client denies the allegations and they will fight the charges in court to clear his name.
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