Flourtown Physical Therapist Accused of Forcing Elderly Patient to Touch Him

A 44-year-old physical therapist from Pottstown, Pennsylvania is barred from returning to a Flourtown nursing home after a patient in her 70s accused him of forcing her to touch his genitals during two separate treatment sessions last month. Donald Muller now faces charges of indecent assault by forcible compulsion, indecent assault without consent, and indecent exposure stemming from the encounters at Meadowview Nursing and Rehab Center.

According to a criminal complaint reported by NBC10 Philadelphia, the first incident occurred on July 20, when Muller allegedly forced the woman to touch his genitals during a session. The following day, on July 21, he allegedly did it again during another physical therapy appointment. The victim reported that Muller told her, “I bet your wife wouldn't like to hear about this,” and said his wife works at the same rehab center, according to the outlet's account of the complaint.

A Springfield Township police officer responded to Meadowview Nursing and Rehab Center in Flourtown, Pennsylvania, and an investigation opened on July 22. Police interviewed Muller the following day, July 23, and he denied the allegations at that time, per the station's report. He later told investigators, “I'm sorry this happened all together,” without elaborating further, the outlet noted.

A Prior Complaint Surfaces

A social worker at the facility reported that similar allegations had been made against Muller by another female resident in June 2024, more than a year before the July incidents that led to charges. It remains unclear how facility management responded to that earlier report at the time, and that question has not been resolved in available reporting. A Meadowview administrator has disputed the current allegations against Muller, per the same account, though the specifics of that dispute were not detailed.

Muller's attorney, Danton Lee Moyer, has denied the allegations on his client's behalf and asked the public and any potential jury pool to reserve judgment. “Give Muller the presumption of innocence he deserves,” Moyer said, according to the station's report. Muller is barred from returning to Meadowview as the case proceeds.

What Happens at the Preliminary Hearing

Muller's preliminary hearing is scheduled for September 8. At that stage, prosecutors do not need to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt; they must instead establish a prima facie case before a Magisterial District Judge, showing sufficient evidence that a crime occurred and that Muller likely committed it, according to Rubin, Glickman, Steinberg & Gifford. That threshold is intentionally lower than a trial standard and does not determine guilt or innocence on its own.

Under Pennsylvania law, indecent assault committed through forcible compulsion is graded as a first-degree misdemeanor carrying up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine, per Pennsylvania's consolidated statutes. The indecent exposure charge, graded as a second-degree misdemeanor, carries up to two years in prison and a $5,000 fine under a separate section of state law. A conviction on the forcible-compulsion charge would also trigger mandatory sex offender registration for 25 years as a Tier II offense, according to the James Law firm's overview of the statute.

Licensing and Facility Oversight Still Open Questions

Beyond the criminal case, Muller's physical therapy license could face separate administrative scrutiny. Pennsylvania's State Board of Physical Therapy, under the Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs, has authority to suspend or revoke a license upon finding evidence of sexual misconduct, independent of any criminal court outcome, according to the LLF Law Firm. It is not known whether state licensing authorities have issued an emergency suspension of Muller's license, and it is unclear whether additional former patients have come forward since police began outreach.

Meadowview itself carries a mixed compliance record. The 244-bed, for-profit facility holds a 2-out-of-5-star overall rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and federal inspection data compiled by ProPublica shows it has accumulated 42 total health citations and $79,414 in federal fines tied to complaint investigations. The same data shows Meadowview provides 3.51 nurse hours per resident day, below the state average of 3.9 hours, and a 54.6% nurse turnover rate, above the 45.7% state average.

Advocates note that the case unfolds against a broader pattern of concern statewide. A statewide investigation cited by legal analysts at the MSW Law Group found reported elderly deaths from abuse or neglect in Pennsylvania care facilities surged from 120 in 2017 to nearly 1,400 in 2022. Anyone affected by sexual assault can reach the National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline at 800-656-4673.