Police believe doctor preyed upon seniors

By Tamara Barak

June 11, 2007

Investigators believe a San Francisco physician arrested for sexual battery has a history of preying upon senior citizens, a police official revealed today.

Dr. Jose Rosas, 53, was taken into custody Thursday at his practice at 2460 Mission St., San Francisco police Lt. Dan Leydon said.

Rosas was booked on suspicion of felony sexual battery and elder abuse. The incident allegedly involved a female patient who is a senior citizen.

"Her claim was that she went in complaining of a common medical complaint and the doctor then performed an improper gynecological exam in his office," Leydon said. The woman's medical issue was unrelated to a gynecological problem, according to investigators.

At the time of his arrest Thursday, Rosas was out of jail on bail pending the investigation of similar complaints dating to 2005. Rosas has appeared in court but has not been tried on the charges, Leydon said.

The four victims in the 2005 complaints are all Hispanic women in their 60s, Leydon said. Rosas maintained a practice in the 1500 block of Valencia Street in San Francisco when those accusations arose.

According to records from the Medical Board of California, Rosas maintains a valid medical license but since his arrest in 2005 has been prohibited from performing gynecological exams or examining female patients in any way without a chaperone or medical assistant.

Leydon today urged other possible victims to come forward in the case. He said it's possible that other women may be afraid to contact police because they are undocumented immigrants.

"We're trying to reach out and let victims know that their immigration status is not a factor.

The important thing is connecting them with resources and services that are vital to their recovery and survival.

There's no way their immigration status will get in the way of that," he said.

Anyone with knowledge of the improper exams was asked to call the police sexual assault unit at (415) 553-1361.

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