Sex Offender Mix-Up Nearly Costs Chiropractor His Profession

A Brevard County chiropractor licensed to practice in the state of Florida was involved in a sex offender computer mix-up in 2002 that almost ruined his reputation and good standing within the community.

On Dec. 6, 2002, the chiropractor was in Orlando for a hearing before the state Board of Chiropractic Medicine after a complaint was issued that he had let his license lapse and was practicing without a current license.

The doctor was ordered to pay a $1,000 fine. While it may sound like a simple enough fix, on that same day, another chiropractor from Tampa Bay went before the same board but for very different reasons. Turns out, this Tampa doctor was arrested in 2002 and charged with molesting a 12-year-old girl. The man took a plea deal with the state on the charge of lewd and lascivious molestation, receiving 30 months of probation and standard sex offender conditions.

Due to his arrest and plea deal, he was required to go before the state chiropractic board.

Sometime after the Orlando hearing in 2002, the State Department of Health accidentally mixed up the files for the two men, incorrectly entering that the Brevard County chiropractor was the sex offender, which was then sent to the Federation of Chiropractic Licensing Boards.

While both the Department of Health and the Federation of Chiropractic Licensing Boards removed the incorrect information as soon as knowledge of the mistake was made, the simple misprint has resulted in problems with the Brevard County chiropractor’s insurance carriers as there is still lingering suspicions surrounding his record.

The doctor did attempt to sue the Department of Health as well as the Federation of Chiropractic Licensing Boards. However, the Department of Health is protected from litigation through sovereign immunity. The Federation of Chiropractic Licensing Boards was added to the man’s suit in 2009, and a resolution is still pending.

The Federation claims the mistake was fixed in a matter of minutes and that the incorrect information was never viewed by any third parties.

This case just goes to show how damaging a sex crimes accusation or conviction can be to one’s personal and professional reputation. While the Brevard County chiropractor was never accused of or convicted of a sex crime, the Tampa Bay doctor’s record that was mistakenly tacked on to his, almost cost him his profession, something he is still fighting to recover from. The stigma that accompanies the mere allegation of a sex crime is enough to tarnish someone’s personal life, ruin a career and destroy a family.

There is nothing more devastating to you and your career than being accused of or charged with a sexual offense. After an accusation has been made, it is vital to protect your rights and put forth the most powerful defense possible. No matter what stage your case is in, whether you have merely been accused of or actually charged with a sex crime, you need to enlist the help of a sex crimes defense lawyer. Immediate action is necessary in these types of cases. Please call a Brevard County Sex Crimes Defense Lawyer right away for a free consultation at 866-608-5529 or contact us online.