After being found guilty of years of sexually abusing patients, some of whom were kids, a urologist from New York City was sentenced to life in prison on Wednesday.
Darius Paduch, 57, of North Bergen, New Jersey, was employed at two prestigious medical facilities in New York as a urologist. In May, he was found guilty on six charges of persuading someone to travel in order to commit illegal sexual activity and five counts of persuading a juvenile to do illegal sexual activity.
From 2003 to 2023, Paduch practiced urology in New York City, specializing in male infertility and male reproductive health.
From at least 2007 to 2019, he lured and coerced several victims to come to his Manhattan practice, where he would sexually abuse them, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.
According to federal authorities, Paduch would also convince victims to travel to other places in New Jersey to engage in sexual assault, and he persisted in this conduct when he relocated his practice to a hospital on Long Island in 2019.
According to the prosecution, Paduch would grope, masturbate, and expose himself to patients during medical visits. He would also exchange texts and emails with kids, making improper and sexual remarks.
Prosecutors claimed that Paduch once invited a patient onto his boat, where he gave them sedatives and engaged in masturbation.
Prosecutors claimed that Paduch took advantage of his position to try to convince victims that the sexual assault he was doing was medically required when it wasn’t. Prosecutors claim that he frequently instructed victims to schedule follow-up appointments, which resulted in years of abuse for some.
The Southern District of New York’s U.S. Attorney, Damian Williams, described Paduch’s conduct as widespread and perverse.
In a statement, Williams said, “Darius Paduch was a sexual predator who preyed on patients seeking treatment for delicate medical issues.” “He used his position as a renowned urologist at prestigious hospitals to sexually assault vulnerable patients, including children, to gratify his own sexual desires.”
Additionally, Paduch was mandated to make reparation in an amount to be decided later.
In a statement cited by the Associated Press, Paduch’s lawyer, Michael Baldassare, stated that he will appeal the decision within the next several days.
According to Baldassare, “Doctor Paduch maintains his innocence and we are confident that he will be vindicated someday.”
At the time of publication, NBC News had sent an email overnight requesting comment from the lawyer, but the lawyer had not replied.
Call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at (800) 422-4453 or visit www.childhelphotline.org if you are a child experiencing abuse or know a kid who could be experiencing it. Call 911 if you believe a kid’s life is in immediate danger, even though many states provide child abuse hotlines.
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