A army physician who pleaded responsible to sexually abusing dozens of male soldiers at Joint Base Lewis-McChord was sentenced Wednesday to simply over 13 years in jail, was ordered to forfeit all pay and allowances and was dismissed from the U.S. Military.
Maj. Michael Stockin, an anesthesiologist and ache administration specialist on the base’s Madigan Military Medical Heart, pleaded guilty on Jan. 8 to 36 specs, or counts, of abusive sexual contact and 5 of indecent viewing, mentioned Michelle McCaskill, spokesperson with the U.S. Military Workplace of Particular Trial Counsel.
“The sentence imposed by the courtroom holds Maj. Stockin accountable for each individual he victimized by means of his crimes,” Maj. Allyson Montgomery, prosecutor, Military Workplace of Particular Trial Counsel, mentioned in a press release. “The outcomes of this continuing shine a lightweight on the trauma brought on by Maj. Stockin by permitting the voices of each sufferer to be heard in a public listening to.”
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JBLM is the Military’s fifth-largest base and is about 47 miles (75 kilometers) south of Seattle. The Madigan medical middle is the Military’s second-largest medical remedy facility.
After his plea, 22 of the 41 victims testified concerning the trauma and misery they endured due to Stockin’s abuse. Many mentioned Stockin prompted them to endure destructive emotional, bodily, and psychological hurt due to the crimes dedicated towards them.
“The resilience of the victims on this case needs to be celebrated,” mentioned lead prosecutor Maj. Ryan Keeter. “They’ve been residing with the trauma that has come from Maj. Stockin’s actions for years and the final 16 months of litigation on the best way to this court-martial has not been simple. I thank them for his or her persistence, their power, and their dedication for justice.”
Stockin’s lawyer, Robert Capovilla, mentioned the physician confronted greater than 300 years of jail, however his sentence was capped at simply over a dozen years.
“Main Stockin took full accountability for his actions, and he made no excuses,” Capovilla mentioned in an e-mail. “The Protection hopes and prays that the victims and Main Stockin will lastly be capable to heal and to maneuver ahead with their lives.”
Legal professionals representing 22 of Stockin’s former sufferers have filed Federal Tort Claims Act complaints towards the Military and Division of Protection on behalf of the servicemen, claiming the businesses had been negligent in hiring, supervising and retaining Stockin. Every is looking for $5 million in damages for the emotional misery they are saying they’ve suffered.
Christine Dunn, representing the victims, mentioned Stockin’s sentencing supplies some sense of justice,“ however for our purchasers, actual justice requires holding the Military accountable for its position in permitting this to occur.”
The Military failed their purchasers and different victims, scarring them for all times, Dunn mentioned in an e-mail.
“Throughout the sentencing listening to, sufferer after sufferer described the emotional influence the sexual abuse has had on their lives,” Dunn mentioned. “These courageous troopers at the moment are riddled with anxiousness and disgrace – lots of them terrified to even search medical consideration.”
The Military launched an investigation into Stockin in 2022 after receiving a number of complaints, McCaskill mentioned. He was suspended from affected person care and was given administrative duties. He was formally charged in August 2023 with 23 counts of abusive sexual contact. In January 2024, the Military Workplace of Particular Trial Counsel referred 52 fees and specs, stemming from allegations by 41 male sufferers he handled between 2019 and 2022.
Stockin shall be transferred to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, the place he’ll serve his jail sentence, McCaskill mentioned. Primarily based on his crimes, he’ll be required to register as a intercourse offender and shall be topic to federal and state intercourse offender registration necessities as soon as launched from jail.
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