Los Angeles County prosecutors dramatically expanded their case against a former UCLA gynecologist on Monday, charging him with 17 additional felonies related to his alleged sexual abuse of five former patients.
Dr. James M. Heaps, 67, who was already facing three similar charges of alleged abuse against two other former patients, was handcuffed and taken into custody. His bond was set at $650,000.
Prosecutors allege that Heaps abused the women during medical exams over a seven-year span, from 2011 to 2018. The charges include sexual battery by fraud, sexual exploitation of a patient and sexual penetration of an unconscious person, according to the complaint.
Heaps pleaded not guilty and is scheduled to return to court Sept. 15.
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