Former UCLA gynecologist found guilty on 5 sex-related counts, acquitted on 7 others

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Jurors on Thursday found former UCLA campus gynecologist James Heaps guilty of five sex-related counts, while acquitting him on seven.

Heaps was facing trial on 21-sex-related counts involving seven patients. The jury could not reach verdicts on the remaining nine counts and a mistrial was declared for those items.

After the verdicts were declared, Heaps was ordered into custody, over the objection of his defense attorney who sought to have him remain free on bail.

Sentencing is set for Nov. 17 and a prosecutor said the guilty verdicts could lead to up to 21 years in state prison.

Heaps, 65, was on trial for sexual battery by fraud and penetration of an unconscious person by fraudulent representation, along with sexual exploitation of a patient involving alleged crimes between 2009 and 2018.

The counts he was found guilty of were three counts of sexual battery by fraud and two counts of sexual penetration of an unconscious person.

The crimes allegedly happened while Heaps worked as a gynecologist at UCLA.

More than 500 lawsuits were filed against Heaps and UCLA, accusing the school of failing to protect patients after becoming aware of the misconduct.

In May, attorneys for 312 former patients of Heaps announced a $374 million settlement of abuse lawsuits against the University of California.

The settlement came on top of a $243.6 million resolution of lawsuits involving about 200 patients announced in February, and a $73 million settlement of federal lawsuits reached last year involving roughly 5,500 plaintiffs.

The lawsuits alleged that UCLA actively and deliberately concealed Heaps' sexual abuse of patients. UCLA continued to allow Heaps to have unfettered sexual access to female patients -- many of whom were cancer patients -- at the university, plaintiffs' attorneys alleged in the suits.

UCLA issued a statement in May saying, "This agreement, combined with earlier settlements involving other plaintiffs, resolves the vast majority of the claims alleging sexual misconduct by James Heaps, a former UCLA Health physician.

"The conduct alleged to have been committed by Heaps is reprehensible and contrary to our values. We are grateful to all those who came forward, and hope this settlement is one step toward providing some level of healing for the plaintiffs involved.

"We are dedicated to providing the highest quality care that respects the dignity of every patient. We are taking all necessary steps to ensure our patients' well-being in order to maintain the public's confidence and trust," the statement continued.

City News Service contributed to this report.