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A US gynecologist was sentenced to more than 20 years in prison for sexually assaulting his patients in the Pacific coast state of Washington, court officials said on Tuesday.
Charles Momah, 49, was convicted in November of rape and other felony sex crime charges involving four of his patients in 2002 and 2003. Another four women testified at the trial to lewd conduct by Momah during gynecology exams.
"I think it was fair," King County prosecutor Roger Rogoff said of Momah's 245-month prison sentence. "It's a long time, but it was also a lot of pain for the community and for these women."
The rape victim whose report to police started the investigation and inspired other women to tell their stories was among those who urged Superior Court Judge Michael Trickey to punish Momah severely.
The woman was a drug abuser who relied on Momah for prescriptions "to feed her addiction" and Momah exploited that and "went over the edge," Rogoff told AFP.
"If you think of these women in a doctor's office, where they think they are safe, and he slowly breaks down barriers," Rogoff said. "The touching starts out clinical, then it starts to be wrong."
Members of Momah's family and a close female friend lobbied Trickey in vain to be lenient, saying they remained convinced Momah was not guilty of the crimes.
Momah had testified at the trial, saying he had consensual sex with two of his accusers, according to court records. A jury convicted Momah of two counts of rape and two more of indecent behavior.
Momah's lawyer had asked Trickey to sentence Momah to less than the 17 to nearly 23 years in prison called for in state guidelines.
The judge went for the upper end of the sentencing range, saying in court that Momah exploited patients who went to him "in need and vulnerability."
Charges of health-care fraud are still pending against Momah and that trial is to begin by summer, according to the court.
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AFP 072112 GMT 02 06
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