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Ex-chiropractor pleads guilty to sexually abusing female patients

By Mark Shenefelt - | Aug 3, 2022

Mark Shenefelt, Standard-Examiner

The 2nd District courthouse in Farmington is pictured on Monday, Nov. 1. 2021.

FARMINGTON — A former Kaysville chiropractor has pleaded guilty to sexually abusing eight female patients during massage appointments.

The case broke open against Kenneth Walter Pierce after a woman reported to Kaysville police that Pierce — on Sept. 17, 2021 — massaged her genitals, buttocks and anus, penetrating her with a finger, then turned her over and “aggressively” massaged her breasts, according to charging documents.

After other women came forward and police widened the investigation, Davis County prosecutors charged Pierce with abusing at least eight patients during 2020 and 2021.

In a plea bargain filed Monday in 2nd District Court, Pierce pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree felony object rape and seven counts of forcible sexual abuse, a second-degree felony. Prosecutors in return agreed to drop 11 other forcible sexual abuse counts.

The charged incidents happened at Pierce’s now-closed business, Right Now! Chiropractic. Pierce later surrendered his chiropractic license after an investigation by the Utah Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing.

The alleged victims, some with massage appointments and others with pain and needing adjustments, reported similar circumstances, being alone with Pierce after he locked the doors. According to charges, he touched several patients’ genitals and massaged their breasts. One woman said he pressed his clothed genitals into her hand, and another said he pressed his genitals on the back of her head while massaging her breasts.

Pierce, 56, had been a licensed chiropractor in Utah since 2010. He is held in the Davis County Jail pending sentencing on Sept. 12. He could be sentenced to three years to life in prison on the object rape charge and 1-to-15 years on each of the sexual abuse charges.

The state licensing agency, which began investigating Pierce after he was charged in criminal court, cited Pierce with unprofessional conduct and revoked his license for five years.

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