After a doctor was arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting several patients, police are looking to identify other possible victims, authorities said Tuesday.
Dr. Michael Howard Popkin, a 67-year-old medical doctor and surgeon in the Encino area, was arrested and charged with one count of Sexual Exploitation of a Patient and three counts of Sexual Battery, said Los Angeles Police Department's West Valley Sex Crimes Unit detectives in a statement.
Popkin is accused of assaulting multiple women during medical examinations in his office, police said.
He has been licensed to practice medicine in California since 1977, and has been a general practice doctor for 40 years. The allegations against him range from 2001 to 2016.
Popkin is accused of sexually assaulting a woman in August during a medical exam in his office in Encino. Once LAPD detectives looked into his past, they found five other sexual assault allegations have been made against him dating back to 2001.
Popkin was not prosecuted in the most recent case in 2014, and in the other four cases the accusers only reported the allegations to the medical board, detectives said.
Due to Popkin's long career and the multiple allegations against him, police believe there could be other victims and are hoping they will come forward.
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"I recognize the difficulty for many sex crimes victims reluctant to report what happened to them, especially if the perpetrator is in a position of trust, like a doctor, and a respected member of the community," said Det. Ninette Toosbuy, Officer-in-Charge of the West Valley Sex Crimes Unit in a statement.
Popkin was arrested on Dec. 5 and was released the next day on $65,000 bail.
Detectives said Popkin was still working. His first court appearance was scheduled for Dec. 30.
Police are hoping the four accusers who reported their allegations to the medical board alone will come forward. They believe they may still have a case against Popkin, but believe other victims' accounts could help corroborate the new allegations at the very least.
Anyone with information related to the case was urged to call Det. Moreno of the West Valley Sex Crimes Unit at 818-374-7714, or to call Toosbuy at 818-374-7718.
