A Carlsbad doctor accused of sexually assaulting a patient after a surgery pleaded not guilty to nine charges against him.
John McGuire, 44, was charged Friday with six felony counts and three misdemeanors, including sexual battery, sexual penetration by force and sexual exploitation by a physician.
The doctor, who is an ear, nose and throat specialist, is being held on a $3 million bail.
Following a surgical procedure, McGuire was tending to a patient at Temecula Valley Hospital when he committed “three different violations that involved a doctor having sexual contact with a patient,” said Riverside County Deputy District Attorney Jess Walsh.
Walsh did not detail how the allegations were brought against McGuire in July or the evidence sheriff’s officials say they have.
Though McGuire, a graduate of Georgetown Medical School, has a practice at Graybill Medical Group in Escondido, he also worked as a contractor at Temecula Valley. He also recently practiced in Fallbrook.
Graybill Medical Group said the alleged incident happened before McGuire worked for them.
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The charges against him involve one alleged victim, but Walsh said there may be more. If you have information to share about McGuire, Walsh asked you call the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.
"Anytime we have a physician who's doing things they're not supposed to do with a patient, we take them all very seriously,” he said.
Temecula Valley Hospital sent NBC 7 the following statement:
"The allegations being made were not reported to Temecula Valley Hospital at the time of the alleged incident. However, we intend to cooperate fully with the Sheriff's Department in their investigation of this matter. Dr. McGuire was never an employee of Temecula Valley Hospital. He resigned from the medical staff in June and is no longer treating patients at the hospital."
