Rhode Island Doctor's License Suspended Following Arrest on Sexual Assault Charges

Rhode Island Doctor's License Suspended Following Arrest on Sexual Assault Charges

The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) has suspended the license of a doctor, following his arrest on sexual assault charges. 

On August 26, RIDOH Interim Director Utpala Brandy suspended the chiropractic license of Dr. Thomas Sowa, whose practice is located on Nate Whipple Highway in Cumberland. 

According to RIDOH documents, they received a report that Sowa had been arrested by the Cumberland Police Department and charged with three counts of felony sexual assault, as well as a simple assault misdemeanor charge. 

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An administrative hearing is scheduled for next week. 

 

About Incidents

In its filing, RIDOH states the following.

“On or about August 24, 2022, the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) received notice that Respondent allegedly touched Patient A in areas that were clinically inappropriate,” stated RIDOH. 

“On or about June 11, 2022, and June 18, 2022, and June 21, 2022, during three visits providing chiropractic services, Respondent required Patient A to fully undress with no covering and engaging in a full body massage encompassing Patient A’s breasts, nipples, buttocks, and between the legs,” RIDOH continued. 

“The incident described…is ‘gross unprofessional conduct,’ pursuant to 5-30-13(b),” stated RIDOH, citing state law. 

“After considering the contents contained in the received and reviewed documents, the Rhode Island Director of Health finds that public health, safety, or welfare imperatively requires emergency action,” RIDOH wrote in issuing the summary suspension of the license. 

Sowa, when reached for comment, he denied the charges.

“They’re all lies. That’s all I can say,” Sowa told GoLocal in a phone interview.

Sowa said he was pleading not guilty to the sexual assault charges.

Prior Suspensions 

Records show that Sowa had been placed on probation twice by RIDOH in the last three years.

The first was a consent order in December 2019, in which RIDOH delineated a complaint from a patient stating she visited Sowa “primarily complaining of back problems.”

“Respondent requested that Patient C change into a Jonny gown, which she did. At some point during the massage, Respondent unsnapped Patient C’s bra and exposed her breasts,” RIDOH wrote.

“In the course of investigating the Complaint, the Board reviewed Patient C’s medical file and noted that it failed to include a patient history and the treatment notes did not appear to justify Respondent’s selected course of treatment,” RIDOH continued. 

In the consent order, Sowa did not “admit or deny the Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law” set forth in the order and did not admit in the order’s execution “that he has violated any law or regulation.”

RIDOH issued a six-month suspension — but “stayed” it pending a probationary period. 

The consent order required Sowa to obtain a licensed chiropractor to monitor his practice and review four randomly selected patient charts each month. 

In Sowa’s second consent order in 2020, a patient described showing up for an appointment  on July 16, 20202— and finding Sowa to be at first “struggling with a medical emergency.”

“Cumberland Fire personnel arrived and attended to Respondent, ultimately determining that Respondent was not experiencing a medical emergency...” according to the report. 

RIDOH noted that while under the terms of his 2019 probation, Sowa was also prohibited from seeing female patients without a female chaperone. 

“While Patient A contended that no such chaperone was present at Respondent’s office when she presented herself for her appointment on or about July 16, 2020, the Respondent denies any knowledge of awareness of a scheduled appointment at that time,” RIDOH states.

The terms of that probation required Sowa to attend weekly counseling sessions and submit to random alcohol urine screenings. 

UPDATED: 8:24 AM