Rajesh Motibhai Patel has been sentenced to two years in federal prison for violating his patient’s constitutional right to bodily integrity while acting under colour of law and for the offence of abusive sexual contact.
“Patel used his position of trust as a VA physician to sexually assault his female veteran patient who had honorably served our country,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Richard S. Moultrie, Jr. “His crimes were an egregious breach of that trust and an abuse of his power. This sentence prevents Patel from causing future harm to veterans who seek care at from the VA.”
According to Acting U.S. Attorney Moultrie, the charges, and other information presented in court, Rajesh Motibhai Patel, a physician at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center, was convicted of sexually assaulting a female veteran patient during what should have been a routine medical exam in January 2020.
During the exam, Patel unlawfully touched the victim’s body, including her breast and vaginal area, in ways that violated her consent and for no legitimate medical purpose.
Rajesh Motibhai Patel, 69, of Lilburn, Ga., was sentenced to two years in prison to be followed by 15 years of supervised release.
Patel is prohibited from practicing medicine while on supervised release. Patel was found guilty by a jury on November 5, 2024, of violating his patient’s constitutional right to bodily integrity while acting under color of law and of the offense of abusive sexual contact.
