Dr. Steven Cogswell, 53, is charged with six counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct involving three female inmates inside the Macomb County Jail in August and September.
Sheriff Anthony Wickersham said the inmates are a 31-year-old from Sterling Heights, 29-year-old from Roseville and 27-year-old from Port Huron.
The allegations are that Dr. Cogswell inappropriately touched them in the genitalia and, in one case, one of the women performed a sex act in exchange for candy and tobacco. The sheriff said these incidents happened inside the medical exam room inside the jail.
Three deputies are in the office area but during exams, the doctor goes into a private room, the door is left open and a curtain is pulled to block the view in. The sheriff said because of HIPAA laws, no female deputies are allowed in during exams and they will be talking with the contractor about implementing a new policy with a nurse present.
Wickersham said they obtained the doctor’s cell phone during the investigation and found several explicit pictures and video that he says confirmed this case more than a he-said-she-said.
The sheriff said Dr. Cogswell worked for a contractor, Correct Care Solutions, and that he was hired in August and fired on October 10 when the company was informed about the case.
Dr. Cogswell has been licensed in Michigan since 1999 and went to Michigan State University.
He is a family practice doctor who had privileges at Genesys Medical Center in Grand Blanc and limited adjunct status at Troy Beaumont Hospital, according to his website profile.
There are no past or present complaints against the doctor, according to the Michigan website.
Dr. Cogswell will be arraigned on the charges this afternoon. He has retained Criminal Defense Attorney Stephen Rabaut. The doctor turned himself in this morning and if he is not released on bond, he will be jailed in another county, the sheriff said.
State regulators did get a complaint about Dr. Cogswell in 2008, but after a 4-month investigation, it was not substantiated, closed and no action was taken. They have opened a new case now based on the latest allegations.
