A federal judge in Los Angeles has rejected a plea deal for Gary Goulin, a former pediatrician at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, who admitted to possessing child pornography. The judge, Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong, exercised her discretion and refused the plea agreement that called for a sentence of four to five years’ imprisonment.
In April, Goulin pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography. Court papers show that he had more than 600 images constituting child pornography on his devices, including some involving minors under the age of 12.
Now, Goulin has the choice to negotiate a different plea agreement or withdraw his guilty plea, which may subject him to additional criminal charges. His attorney, Mark Werksman, stated that he and his client will consider their options.
While the charge could carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, federal prosecutors and Goulin agreed to a lower prison term, along with a 15-year period of supervised release and various fines and special assessments. However, the final sentencing decision lies with the judge.
Goulin faced similar charges in Los Angeles Superior Court in November 2021, including possession of child pornography and sexual exploitation of a child. However, those charges were dropped when he was indicted by a federal grand jury.
The Medical Board of California suspended Goulin’s medical license after his arrest. Cedars-Sinai Medical Center also took immediate action and terminated his employment and access to their facilities upon learning about his arrest and charges.
In response to these developments, Goulin’s defense attorney emphasized that the charges have no connection to his work as a doctor and that they will address the case in court.
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center expressed its commitment to upholding the integrity of its employees and organization following the news of Goulin’s arrest and the charges against him.
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