A New York urologist was sentenced Wednesday to life in prison having been previously convicted of years of sexual abuse of patients, some of whom were minors.

Darius Paduch, 57, of North Bergen, New Jersey, worked as a urologist at two prominent medical institutions in New York. He was convicted in May of six counts of inducing a person to travel to engage in unlawful sexual activity and five counts of causing a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity.

Paduch worked as a urologist in New York City from 2003 to 2023, specializing in male infertility and male reproductive health.

He lured and induced multiple victims to travel to his practice office in Manhattan from at least 2007 to 2019, where he would sexually abuse them, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York said. a press release.

Paduch would convince victims to visit other locations in New Jersey to sexually abuse him and continued to do so when he moved his practice to a Long Island hospital in 2019, according to federal prosecutors.

Prosecutors said that during medical appointments, Paduch masturbated, exposed himself to patients, groped them and exchanged texts and emails — including with minors — in which he made inappropriate and sexual comments.

In one case, prosecutors said, Paduch invited a patient onto his boat, where he gave the patient sedatives and masturbated.

Paduch used his position to make or try to make victims believe that the sexual abuse he was inflicting was medically necessary, when in fact it was not, prosecutors said. He often directed victims to follow-up appointments, leading to years of abuse for some, according to prosecutors.

Damian Williams, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, called Paduch’s actions “perverse and pervasive.”

“Darius Paduch was a sexual predator who exploited patients seeking treatment for sensitive medical conditions,” Williams said in a statement. “He used his position as a renowned urologist at prestigious hospitals to sexually assault vulnerable patients, including children, to satisfy his own. sexual desires.”

Paduch was also ordered to pay restitution in an amount to be determined at a later date.

Paduch’s attorney, Michael Baldassare, said in a statement reported by the Associated Press that he will file an appeal in the coming days.

“Dr. Paduch maintains his innocence and we are confident that one day he will be vindicated,” Baldassare said.

The attorney did not respond to an emailed comment from NBC News sent overnight by the time of publication.

If you are a child who is being abused or know a child who may be experiencing abuse, call Childhelp’s national child abuse helpline on (800) 422-4453or access www.childhelphotline.org. States often have child abuse hotlines, but if you suspect a child’s life is in imminent danger, call 911.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com