A longtime Walnut Creek chiropractor is facing felony sex assault charges after a patient accused him of abusing his position in the exam room, according to court records.
Dr. Jeffrey Scott Johnson, 54, was arrested Friday in Walnut Creek and is charged with three counts of sexual abuse by fraudulent reputation. He has been released from jail while the case moves forward, and a change-of-plea hearing is on the calendar for May 11.
Johnson is listed as a veteran practitioner in Walnut Creek; his profile on WebMD shows an office in downtown Walnut Creek and identifies him as a chiropractor. The listing does not address the pending criminal case or include any recent public comments from Johnson.
Charges and court timeline
According to reporting from The Mercury News, court records indicate Johnson was taken into custody by the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s sexual-assault unit. Prosecutors have charged him with three counts alleging that he used his professional reputation as a chiropractor to obtain sexual contact from a patient.
Johnson entered a not-guilty plea in March and remains free while the case is prosecuted, the outlet reports. The change-of-plea hearing is set for May 11 in a Contra Costa County courtroom. According to the same reporting, Johnson’s attorney did not respond to a request for comment.
Legal and professional consequences
The charges are criminal and, if proven, could result in prison time. They could also trigger separate professional discipline. As outlined by the California Board of Chiropractic Examiners, the board has the power to suspend or revoke a chiropractor’s license for sexual misconduct involving patients.
The next developments are expected at the May 11 hearing and in any new filings from the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office. This story will be updated as additional court records or official statements become available.
