GREENE COUNTY — The former Yellow Springs doctor accused of sexually abusing patients has been sentenced and he won’t face any time behind bars.
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As News Center 7 previously reported, Donald Gronbeck, 44, pleaded no contest to two separate bills of information last month.
Even though a plea deal allowed him to plead no contest to patient abuse charges instead of sex charges, several of his former patients came to Greene County Common Pleas Court to say he did sexually abuse them.
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“And yet somehow, you still deny it. The proof is right there before everyone,” Tracy Atkin, one of Gronbeck’s victims, said.
Atkin was one of three victims who spoke to the court about what Gronbeck did to them.
“You took advantage of me. You abused me,” Atkin said.
A victim who appeared via video asked to go by their initials, R.L.
“No one deserves to go through what he did to me or the others he hurt,” R.L. said.
A victim’s advocate read a letter from a third victim who wrote that Gronbeck sexually assaulted them when they were a 21-year-old student at Antioch University.
As reported on News Center 7 at 5:00, prosecutors said 14 victims came forward in all.
Gronbeck’s medical license was revoked in January 2022. Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation agents and Greene County Sheriff’s Office deputies raided his family practice offices the next day.
He was previously arrested and charged with 50 counts including, nine counts of rape, 10 counts of sexual battery, 15 counts of gross sexual imposition, and 16 counts of sexual imposition. That was wiped away by plea negotiation.
The maximum penalties could have seen Gronbeck spend 12 years in prison but instead, he was sentenced to five years of community control and no prison or jail time.
It was clear in court that Gronbeck’s victims were not all pleased with the result.
“You still somehow manage to avoid consequences you have earned,” Atkin said. “That’s evil, plain and simple.”
Greene County Prosecutor David D. Hayes released the following statement after the sentencing:
“Today, Donald Gronbeck was sentenced to community control for felony offenses committed against his patients. Because of the resolve of his victims, he is now a convicted felon who will never practice medicine again. The resolution reached in the case was made necessary because of factual developments that occurred after the case was indicted. Based on these developments, it became clear that the State of Ohio would not be able to prove the original charges against the defendant beyond a reasonable doubt. While not completely satisfied with the result, the State is satisfied that Gronbeck will no longer be able to victimize anyone ever again under the guise of medical treatment.”
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