An Army doctor has pleaded guilty to sexually abusing dozens of soldiers at Joint Base Lewis-McChord who sought his care primarily for pain management.
Major Michael StockinAn anesthesiologist and pain management specialist at the base's Madigan Army Medical Center in Washington state faces 52 charges Claims of abusive sexual contact With 41 victims, said Michelle McCaskill, spokeswoman for the U.S. Army Office of Special Counsel.
McCaskill said Wednesday that Stockin pleaded guilty Tuesday to 36 counts of abusive sexual contact and five counts of viewing obscene material. Their petitions are subject to approval by the military judge, he said.
Stockin's attorney, Robert Capovilla, did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment Wednesday.
The group Protect Our Defenders called the Stockin case the largest sexual abuse scandal in recent history and called for a congressional review.
In a report that first aired on “CBS Mornings” Last February, two people described alleged misconduct under the guise of medical care from Major Michael Stockin.
One of the men said he sought a doctor's help to treat arthritis in his shoulders, and said he was at first “very confused” by Stockin's investigation.
He said, “Dr. Stockin and I were left alone in the room. He first examined my shoulders and then he asked me to stand up and pull down my pants and lift up my gown.” “Dr. Stockin, his face was right at my waist, and he started touching my genitals.”
Another said she was sexually abused by Stockin on three occasions and described a similar experience receiving an “alternative evaluation.” He said he was having trouble understanding why this visit was different from any previous visit to a doctor.
“Even I couldn't talk to my wife about what had happened,” he said. “It felt very uncomfortable,” he said.
Attorneys representing 22 of Stockin's former patients have filed Federal Tort Claims Act complaints against the U.S. Army and the Department of Defense on behalf of the 22 soldiers, claiming that the agencies mistreated Stockin in hiring, supervising And are being negligent in maintaining it. Each man is seeking $5 million in damages for the emotional distress they say they have suffered.
One soldier said in his complaint that he suffered “extreme grief, fear and anxiety” after being allegedly abused by Stockin.
Christine Dunn, the attorney representing the men, said, “Dr. Stockin's guilty plea and sentencing is an important first step toward justice for the dozens of patients he sexually abused. But the story doesn't end there. ” “The military played a key role in allowing widespread sexual abuse to occur in the first place. It is now time for the military to be held accountable for its negligence.”
JBLM is the U.S. Army's fifth largest base and is about 47 miles south of Seattle. Its population is above 100,000 – with 40,000 active duty, 50,000 family members and 15,000 civilian and contract employees. Personnel include the Yakama Training Center. Madigan Medical Center is the Army's second largest medical treatment facility.
McCaskill said the Army began investigating Stockin in 2022 after receiving multiple complaints. He was suspended from patient care and assigned administrative responsibilities. In August 2023 he was formally charged with 23 counts of abusive sexual contact. In January 2024, the Army Office of Special Trial Counsel cited 52 charges and specifics that stemmed from allegations by 41 male patients treated between 2019 and 2022.
Stockin, who entered into a plea agreement with prosecutors in September 2024, entered his guilty plea Tuesday, the first day of his court-martial, which is the military's trial court system.
The charge of having offensive sexual material carries a maximum sentence of seven years, and the charge of viewing obscene material carries a maximum sentence of one year. If the judge pursues the sexual abuse charges consecutively, he faces a maximum of 336 years in prison, McCaskill said.
Once their pleas are accepted, Dunn said, they will move on to the sentencing phase where many of the victims plan to give impact statements.
One soldier described his experience with Stockin in his complaint. He said he had an appointment for a muscle strain in his lower back in 2021. According to the complaint, he was taken to an examination room and was alone with Stockin when the doctor asked him to take off his pants and underwear. She said Stockin fondled her genitals without wearing gloves.
Three other people told similar stories, and all of them said they had never taken a test like this before and that they left feeling uncomfortable and humiliated.
One of the men said, “I believe it directly led to my drinking because I didn't know how to deal with the trauma.” He spent a year drinking until he blacked out, and eventually entered an outpatient rehabilitation program to get sober.
Contributed to this report.