CLERMONT, Fla. – A Clermont acupuncture physician is accused of sexually battering a 16-year-old patient, police said.
The victim said the abuse occurred on Tuesday, a few weeks after she started seeing acupuncture physician Matthew Johnson, 48, at One Yoga and Fitness on Bowman Street, according to a news release from the Clermont Police Department.
Police said the victim was in the fetal position, crying on the bathroom floor at her home when they were called to investigate the abuse claim. The victim told them that Johnson had made comments in the past about how pretty she is and how she reminded him of his ex-girlfriend, according to the affidavit.
Clermont Police Department Sgt. Shane Strickland said that despite being traumatized and terrified, the victim did the right thing by reporting what happened and helping authorities with the investigation.
"At one point there was a controlled phone call that took place between the victim and the doctor with our investigators managing everything," Strickland said. "She asked him then, 'Why did you do this to me?' and he said it was a medical procedure and wouldn't answer anything else on the phone, as he put it, for liability reasons."
Johnson was arrested at his home in Groveland on a sexual battery charge. He's being held at the Lake County Jail.
Gina Keefe, owner of Yoga One and Fitness, said she was appalled to hear about the allegations against Johnson. She noted that he passed a background check and there were never any red flags or complaints from clients until now.
"I hope that we won't be judged on the actions of one person, I hope that they see the big picture that there has been so much good done in this space over the course of these years and I'm taking immediate action to secure the facility, and not have that person have access ever again and I'll be much more diligent in the future, although there was nothing," Keefe said. "He has a Florida state license with a background check, I have no -- I have no indication, honestly."
While Keefe said she's not aware of any other allegations, Strickland said other victims could be out there.
"With these type of cases, when you have one victim, you have one that comes forward, but who knows how many are hiding," Strickland said. "With this type of crime, on the part of the victim, there is a lot of fear, some self-loathing, self-blame that takes place that comes with this, so it's very likely there are other victims out there."
Police are asking anyone else who may have been the victim of a crime to file a report by calling Detective Melissa France at 352-536-8421.