An Army doctor who pleaded guilty to sexually abusing dozens of male soldiers at Joint Base Lewis-McChord was sentenced Wednesday to more than 13 years in prison, ordered to forfeit all pay and allowances and dismissed from the U.S. Army. It has been done.
Major Michael StockinMichelle McCaskill, an anesthesiologist and pain management specialist at the base's Madigan Army Medical Center, pleaded guilty Jan. 8 to 36 counts of aggravated sexual contact and five counts of viewing obscene material, said Michelle McCaskill, spokeswoman for the U.S. Army Special Forces Office. Testing Consultant.
“The sentence imposed by the court holds Major Stockin accountable to everyone who suffered through his crimes,” Major Alison Montgomery, a prosecutor with the Army Office of the Special Trial Council, said in a statement. “The outcome of this proceeding highlights the trauma caused by Major Stockin by allowing every victim's voice to be heard in a public hearing.”
JBLM is the Army's fifth largest base and is about 47 miles south of Seattle. Madigan Medical Center is the Army's second largest medical treatment facility.
Following his plea, 22 of the 41 victims testified about the trauma and distress they endured Because of Stockin's misbehavior. Many people said they suffered negative emotional, physical, and psychological harm because of the crimes Stockin committed against them.
“The resilience of the victims in this case should be celebrated,” said lead prosecutor Major Ryan Keeter. “They have been living with the trauma caused by Major Stockin's actions for years and the last 16 months of litigation on the path to this court-martial have not been easy. I thank them for their patience, their strength and their courage. “Determined for justice.”
In a report that first aired on “CBS Mornings” Last February, two people described alleged misconduct from Stockin under the guise of medical care.
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.
Stockin's attorney, Robert Capovilla, said the doctor faced more than 300 years in prison, but his sentence was only a dozen years longer.
“Major Stockin took full responsibility for his actions and made no excuses,” Capovilla said in an email. “The defense hopes and prays that the victim and Major Stockin will eventually be able to recover and move on with their lives.”
Lawyer representing 22 Stockin's former patient Federal Tort Claims Act complaints have been filed on behalf of the soldiers against the Army and the Department of Defense, claiming the agencies were negligent in hiring, supervising, and retaining Stockin. Each man is seeking $5 million in damages for the emotional distress they suffered.
Christine Dunn, representing the victims, said Stockin's sentence provides some sense of justice, “but for our clients, real justice requires holding the military accountable for its role in allowing this to happen.” Is.”
The military failed his clients and other victims, leaving them scarred for life, Dunn said in an email.
“During the sentencing hearing, victim after victim described the emotional impact sexual abuse had on their lives,” Dunn said. “These brave soldiers now suffer from anxiety and shame – many of them too afraid to seek medical help.”
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 will be transferred to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, McCaskill said, where he will serve his prison sentence. Based on his crimes, he will be required to register as a sex offender and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements after his release from prison.