DR. DALE HARLAND HEATH

Dr. Dale Harland Heath, 58, a chiropractor from Orem, was taken into custody on September 21, 2017, after being found guilty by a jury of Object Rape, Forcible Sexual Abuse, and Sexual Battery.

In 2011, a female patient came forward, stating that Heath had touched her vagina while he was treating her. In 2013, a second female patient reported that during treatments in 2012, Heath massaged her buttocks, her groin and vagina over her clothing. On one occasion, Heath slid his hand under her clothing and touched her vagina, inserting one finger into her vagina. During interviews with investigators, Heath denied any inappropriate contact with her vagina, but stated he may have touched it "incidental" to his treatment. Despite his denial, Heath recalled specific details about the patient's pubic region.

Detectives spoke to Heath about safe practices to avoid similar complaints in the future. The Department of Professional Licensing (DOPL) also investigated and Heath admitted that he "incidentally touched areas which caused the patients to be concerned." He agreed to have a chaperone present during treatment of all female patients.

A third patient came forward in 2015, stating that Heath massaged her groin and vagina over her clothes. The contact made her uncomfortable, but based on Heath's profession and experience, she dismissed the contact as incidental and came back for another treatment. During her second treatment, Heath touched her vagina for several seconds in an intentional manner in order to stimulate her. She ended the visit as quickly as possible and reported Heath to police.

Police again interviewed Heath, who denied touching the third patient inappropriately and claimed to have never treated a female without a chaperone present since his DOPL order. Police interviewed the chaperones who admitted to signing patient logs representing that they had been present for treatments of female patients when they had not been present for such visits. The chaperones signed the logs at Heath's request.

Dale Harland Heath was convicted of one 1st degree felony (Object Rape), one 2nd degree felony (Forcible Sexual Abuse), and three class A misdemeanors (Sexual Battery) following a four-day jury trial. Heath will be held at the Utah County Jail until sentencing, scheduled on November 21, 2017, in the 4th District Court by the Honorable Judge Derek P. Pullan.

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