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Atlanta VA Medical Center. (FOX 5)

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. – A primary care physician at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Decatur has been found guilty of sexually assaulting a female patient under his care.

After an eight-day trial, a jury found Dr. Rajesh Motibhai Patel guilty of violating a patient’s constitutional right to bodily integrity while acting under the color of law and engaging in unwanted sexual contact.

Patel was indicted in 2023 after officials said he groped and inappropriately touched four female veteran patients between 2019 and 2020.

“Dr. Patel violated a physician’s cardinal rule of not harming the patients under his care,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “Veterans who sought him for treatment, like the victim in this case, placed their trust in Dr. Patel and he violated that trust. We hope his conviction provides a measure of healing for those affected by his crimes.”

The jury acquitted Patel of the charges related to three victims, but found him guilty of the charges related to the fourth.

“The verdict is an important step in the pursuit of justice for a sexual assault committed against a veteran seeking care at a Virginia medical center,” said Michael J. Missal, inspector general for the Department of Veterans Affairs. “VA employees are entrusted with keeping our nation’s veterans safe while they receive care. Acts of violence against veterans in VA facilities are reprehensible and destroy that trust. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to bring to justice whoever commits these crimes. “

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In a statement to military.com, The VA said Patel was removed from patient care and reassigned to a role that does not require patient interactions after the department learned of the allegations.

“These alleged actions are horrific and unacceptable. We take this matter extremely seriously and have been cooperating with law enforcement since these concerns were raised,” VA Press Secretary Terrence Hayes said in the statement. “We will provide any affected veteran with the care and support they need and continue to cooperate fully with the investigation.”

The Lilburn man is scheduled to be sentenced by a federal judge on February 20, 2025.