Mesa doctor re-arrested for sexual abuse

MESA, AZ - The physician accused of sexually abusing his patients has been arrested again for similar allegations.

Dr. Gabriel Ogbonnaya now faces a total of 10 counts of sexual abuse and two counts of sexual assault.

"The public has a certain amount of trust that they've instilled in you to take care of their medical needs in this case," said Mesa Police Detective Steve Berry. "Physicians know some of your most intimate details in life."

Ogbonnaya was arrested earlier this month, after two of his patients said he talked to them inappropriately and groped them during medical visits.

He was arrested and released, and resumed practicing at the Healing Touch clinic in Mesa.

But since his original arrest, six new women have come forward with similar allegations.

Five of the counts against Ogbonnaya are for the alleged abuse of one woman, who according to court documents kept going back to his office after he fondled her breasts and digitally penetrated her.

"I am not certain as to what caused her to go back," said Berry. "I don't know if it was fear."

Ogbonnaya's attorney, Jan Bauscher was not available to comment on his arrest, but gave ABC15 an interview after he was taken into custody the first time.

"It is unbelievable and outrageous, frankly, to us, that a doctor, a respected physician, who has been in practice for 19 years plus, would be charged and arrested in his office on such minimal evidence," Bauscher said at the time.

She wasn't alone in her defense of the doctor.

"He was just nice and I liked him because he would talk to me and explain things to me," said one of his patients earlier this month. "He was never weird with me.

Berry said the alleged abuse happened over the course of the last two years and that the victims did not know each other or have any connection to one another. He said investigators are very confident the women are telling the truth.