Ariz. cardiologist pleads guilty in fondling case
Web Producer: Marissa Pasquet
MESA, Ariz. (AP) - An Arizona cardiologist must surrender his medical license after pleading guilty to aggravated assault charges that stem from inappropriate sexual touching during examinations and surgical procedures.
Court records show that Richard Lewis of Scottsdale entered his plea to 18 counts on Thursday.
The 54-year-old doctor has yet to be sentenced, but prosecutors say he will likely face less than a year's incarceration and probation.
Lewis was arrested in 2009 after pinching the breasts of an anesthetized woman while performing a pacemaker procedure at a Mesa hospital. By 2010, 19 women had come forward to accuse him of inappropriate sexual touching.
An indictment listed 61 counts, including sexual abuse, misdemeanor assault and one count of sexual assault.
He was allowed to plead guilty to the aggravated assault counts as part of a plea agreement.
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