Doctor sentenced to 6 months for sexual battery against patient

BATON ROUGE, LA (WAFB) - A doctor was sentenced to 6 months in prison and two years of supervised probation after he pleaded guilty to four counts of sexual battery against former patient.

Dr. Howard Gidden was sentenced to Judge Mike Erwin on Thursday, Sept. 4. Gidden was additionally sentenced to pay $1,800 in restitutions, permanent surrender of his medical and DEA license, payment of $500 to STAR, $100 in court fees, continued counseling, and he will not be eligible to have this charge expunged from his record.

The sentence stems from Gidden's arrest, which happened on July 12, 2013.

Investigators with the Baton Rouge Police Department were contacted by a 24-year-old woman. She claimed to be a patient of Dr. Gidden and that he inappropriately assaulted her on at least four different occasions.

Gidden was questioned by investigators and initially denied the allegations. However, he reportedly later admitted to having sexual contact with the victim, but claimed it was consensual.

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