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A physician who was affiliated with University of Michigan Medical Center and Kansas City Children’s Mercy Hospital, Mark Hoeltzel, lost his medical license and is facing a criminal investigation amidst allegations of inappropriate sexual misconduct with minors, possession of child pornography, and in inappropriate sexual relationship with an 18 year-old patient.

Mark Hoeltzel was a medical doctor who specialized in pediatric rheumatology.  In 2015, he began emailing and texting a young woman who was the patient of another physician, according to an administrative complaint.  Hoeltzel had this patient’s care transferred to himself, and he allegedly began prescribing medications for her that included oxycodone and morphine sulfate.  Hoeltzel is also accused of sharing alcohol with her, even though she was underage and taking the aforementioned medications.  The complaint also alleges that while under Hoeltzel’s care, the young woman engaged in a sexual relationship him, and some of the sexual encounters occurred in Hoeltzel’s office.

Attorney General Bill Schuette’s office asserts that Hoeltzel engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a girl he had met at a University of Michigan arthritis camp when she was age 11.  Hoeltzel allegedly sent the girl messages that were “flirtatious and suggestive,” and the messages included telling her that she had “pretty long legs.”  This conduct continued for about 2 years, until the girl’s mother reported it to University of Michigan officials in 2006.  According to the complaint, the officials did not fire Hoeltzel at this time.  Instead, they required him to undergo a “boundaries course.”

In January, Hoeltzel was criminally charged for receiving and possessing child pornography.  He was arrested in Detroit after receiving treatment for addiction at a clinic in Pennsylvania.

At a hearing in February, a federal prosecutor alleged that Hoeltzel had sent inappropriate text messages and emails that were romantic and flirtatious to 3 minor girls in the fall of 2017.  When sending these messages, Hoeltzel posed as a teenage boy.  Hoeltzel asked one of the girls if she was a virgin, whether she was abused by her parents, and who she lived with.

Hoeltzel’s texts to the minors included telling one that he was trying to be careful not to talk about sex, calling another one a “dimple goddess” and asking a third minor if she was his baby girl.

Hoeltzel graduated from University of Michigan Medical School in 2001.  He was on staff at Kansas City Children’s Mercy Hospital from 2007 – 2013, and was employed by University of Michigan Medical Center throughout the 2000’s.  In 2006, University of Michigan police investigated Hoeltzel for having the inappropriate relationship with an 11 year-old, and this led to U of M Medical Center requiring Hoeltzel to take the course on boundaries.  In 2017, police began investigating him due to an alleged sexual relationship with his young patient, and in 2018, Hoeltzel resigned from U of M.

In February, an Assistant U.S. Attorney argued that Hoeltzel has a history of preying on young girls.

These accusations seem to echo a familiar pattern.  The recent sexual abuse scandals at Penn State, Michigan State University, University of Southern California, and Ohio State University are examples of an apparent disregard that university and hospital employees often have when it comes to reporting sexual abuse and taking meaningful steps to protect those that are preyed upon by people in positions of power.

The sexual abuse attorneys at Grewal Law / Church Wyble, P.C. have been advocating for the rights of victims for decades, and they have made it their mission to stop cover-ups and institutional involvement in sexual assault.  The lawyers at Grewal Law / Church Wyble, P.C. are currently representing 111 Survivors of Larry Nassar’s sexual abuse, and they understand what it takes to prevail against large universities and corporations.  Please contact the firm’s experienced lawyers for information regarding sexual assault support groups, or for a free consultation to discuss your rights. All inquiries with our office are kept in the strictest confidence and are completely confidential.

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