Superintendent: Hamilton doctor indicted on sex charges was banned from district property

Hamilton chiropractor Dr. Stephen Boyd was arraigned Friday in Butler County Common Pleas Court. He is charged with 26 felony sex-related crimes. NICK GRAHAM/STAFF

Hamilton chiropractor Dr. Stephen Boyd was arraigned Friday in Butler County Common Pleas Court. He is charged with 26 felony sex-related crimes. NICK GRAHAM/STAFF

Hamilton chiropractor Dr. Stephen Boyd, who is facing 26 sex-related charges, was arraigned Friday morning in Butler County Common Pleas Court, where a $200,000 cash or surety bond was by set by Judge Charles Pater.

Boyd was arrested Wednesday by Hamilton police on the same day a Butler County grand jury returned the indictment against him for allegedly inappropriately touching patients and engaging in misconduct. Boyd has also been the subject of a investigation and allegations by the Ohio State Chiropractic Board.

The indictment accuses the 57-year-old of committing sex-related crimes for decades.

Boyd is charged with 12 counts of gross sexual imposition, seven counts of sexual battery, four counts of rape, two counts of attempted sexual battery and one count of attempted rape.

According to Hamilton Schools Superintendent Mike Holbrook, Boyd did periodically conduct annual physicals for school district student athletes.

“These physicals were conducted at his private practice and, on limited occasions, at one of our secondary schools. Parents paid Dr. Boyd directly as no money was exchanged between the district and Dr. Boyd,” Holbrook said.

On Feb. 28, the Hamilton Police Department informed the district of a complaint filed through the Ohio Chiropractic Board involving Boyd, Holbrook said.

“The district acted immediately, informing Dr. Boyd that he was banned from all district property effective immediately for an indefinite period of time. He was also prohibited from attending any curricular or extracurricular activity or event of the district held off district property,” the superintendent said.

Defense attorney Chris Pagan said Boyd owns his Main Street business and his house, valued at a total of $400,000. Boyd will put up both properties as bond to assure his reappearance in court, Pagan said. The defense attorney noted Boyd has been in practice for 25 years.

“He has $400,000 in property, if he pledges that, that will give him a lot of incentive to stay around, he has been a Butler County resident his whole life,” Pater said.

Pater also noted Boyd has no criminal past other than a 1996 case of sexual imposition that was dismissed.

If released, Pater ordered Boyd to report to pre-trial services, have no contact with the victims and have no contact with anyone ages 10 to 18.

Butler County Prosecutor Michael Gmoser said the indictment involves crimes against eight victims who were juveniles and young adults in their late teens at the time of the alleged crimes. The alleged crime occurred between November 1998 and December 2014.

The Ohio State Chiropractic Board sent Boyd a letter on Feb. 20 notifying him of sexual misconduct allegations by two patients dating back to 1989 and the early 1990s. Two more patients with allegations as late as 2012 were added to the complaint in June.

Boyd has requested a hearing with the state chiropractic board that is scheduled for Feb. 8, 2021.

Police said in October they were also investigating claims against Boyd by four patients and served a search warrant at his office in October.

Hamilton Police Chief Craig Bucheit said the department was assisting the chiropractic board and “we uncovered sufficient evidence to charge him criminally.”

Staff Writer Michael D. Clark contributed to this report

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