Who is Donald Alexander Gronbeck? Former Ohio doctor accused of sexually assaulting 15 women over 9 years
XENIA, OHIO: A former physician, accused of sexually assaulting 15 women over the course of nine years, was arrested on Friday, October 21. Donald Alexander Gronbeck was indicted by the Greene County Grand Jury on 50 counts of sexual miscounduct.
According to Law&Crime, court records show that the 42-year-old was indicted on nine counts of rape, 10 counts of sexual battery, 15 counts of gross sexual imposition, and 16 counts of sexual imposition.
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In a press conference held on Monday, October 24, Greene County Prosecutor David Hayes said, “The indictment is the result of a year-long collaborative investigation that was initiated by the Greene County Sheriff’s Office.” If convicted, Gronbeck might face up to 80 years in prison.
As per the Dayton Daily News, Hayes said, “We do believe that former Dr. Gronbeck is a flight risk,” adding, “We believe that due to the fact that he was a physician he’s a person of resources, a person of means. I believe he still owns property in the county and that is why we are asking the court for no bond.”
The prosecutor was joined at the press conference by Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and Greene County Sheriff Scott Anger. Yost said, “This case reflects every woman’s nightmare. A physician is someone that we all trust to act in our best interest, to be professional, to have a level of detachment. To turn medical treatment into a sexual assault is an incredibly graphic and brutal betrayal of trust.”
According to a report from Dayton NBC affiliate WDTN, the incident came to light after several patients and employees filed a report about possible misconduct with the sheriff’s office in 2021.
The victims are said to be Gronbeck's patients and sought treatment from him at his now-closed private practice office in Yellow Springs or his office at Antioch College. The alleged incidents took place between 2013 and 2022, after which Gronbeck’s medical license was revoked in January 2022 by the State Medical Board of Ohio. A copy of the filing said women described Gronbeck digitally penetrating them “vaginally and/or anally” and groping their breasts. He was also in a romantic relationship with a patient.
Gronbeck's defense attorney, Jon Paul Rion, said the complaints were the result of a personal grudge against him. While speaking to the Wilmington News Journal, Rion said, “There is more to this issue than what appears. We believe our client is not in violation of any law. We believe this situation has occurred as a result of a monetary lawsuit recently brought against our client as a result of personal vendettas.”
In early 2022, Antioch College’s president Jane K Fernandes said of the accusations, “Like many of you, I am grappling with the harrowing news that the State Medical Board of Ohio suspended the medical license of Dr. Donald Gronbeck, Antioch Class of 2002 and former campus doctor from 2015-2019.”
She added, “Antioch College unequivocally condemns sexual violence of any nature and we are working with local authorities to provide information and help ensure that a full accounting is made of any harms done as a result of Dr. Gronbeck’s work for the College.”