Miss-Delectable
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MLive.com: Search
Six months in jail is not enough punishment for a psychologist who sexually assaulted two patients, victims told a judge Monday.
"Robert Eardley is a brutal rapist masquerading as a psychologist," said a patient who came to police after reading that Eardley had victimized another patient. "Give him prison time."
Circuit Judge Dennis Kolenda said sentencing guidelines and a plea agreement made it necessary for him to give the Ada Township man a six-month jail sentence and five years probation.
Eardley, 53, pleaded guilty to two counts of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct and pleaded no contest two counts of sexual intercourse as a pretext of medical treatment.
The women are hearing impaired and said they went to Eardley, who knew sign language, to deal with their sexually abusive pasts. Instead he raped them, they said.
"He took every early trauma I told him and used it against me," one woman said. "He used to tell me I belong to him. But I am here to say, I only belong to myself."
Police said the sexual relationship with both patients was improper because he used his status to control them.
He had a private practice and also supervised social workers at Touchstone Innovare, a downtown mental health agency.
The second woman to speak said she was his client at Touchstone. Her complaint initiated the police investigation.
Kolenda said Eardley's case generated "a tremendous amount of mail," including letters from mental health professionals who called his actions despicable.
Eardley had to surrender his license, but one victim said he could still go to another state and get work as a counselor.
That is why the five years probation will serve as an additional hammer, the judge said.
Six months in jail is not enough punishment for a psychologist who sexually assaulted two patients, victims told a judge Monday.
"Robert Eardley is a brutal rapist masquerading as a psychologist," said a patient who came to police after reading that Eardley had victimized another patient. "Give him prison time."
Circuit Judge Dennis Kolenda said sentencing guidelines and a plea agreement made it necessary for him to give the Ada Township man a six-month jail sentence and five years probation.
Eardley, 53, pleaded guilty to two counts of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct and pleaded no contest two counts of sexual intercourse as a pretext of medical treatment.
The women are hearing impaired and said they went to Eardley, who knew sign language, to deal with their sexually abusive pasts. Instead he raped them, they said.
"He took every early trauma I told him and used it against me," one woman said. "He used to tell me I belong to him. But I am here to say, I only belong to myself."
Police said the sexual relationship with both patients was improper because he used his status to control them.
He had a private practice and also supervised social workers at Touchstone Innovare, a downtown mental health agency.
The second woman to speak said she was his client at Touchstone. Her complaint initiated the police investigation.
Kolenda said Eardley's case generated "a tremendous amount of mail," including letters from mental health professionals who called his actions despicable.
Eardley had to surrender his license, but one victim said he could still go to another state and get work as a counselor.
That is why the five years probation will serve as an additional hammer, the judge said.