Michigan Sex Crime Attorneys Blog
On Wednesday July 31, 54-year-old Kassam Hallak was sentenced by Eaton County Circuit Court Judge Janice Cunningham to seven to 15 years in prison for sexual assault. Hallak, a physician at the Charlotte Medical Center and Urgent Care, has now lost his medical license. He was convicted in June for assaulting seven women, most of the assaults taking place a the clinic.
Jurors convicted Hallak on eight of 11 charges filed against him, including six counts of fourth-degree CSC, one count of third-degree criminal sexual conduct, and one count of second-degree criminal sexual conduct which reportedly involved a 12-year-old girl. One of the victims said that Hallak raped her in an examination room. Along with serving prison time, Hallak will be required to register as a sex offender and be electronically monitored for life.
Some of Hallak’s alleged victim’s spoke at his sentencing on Wednesday according to a news article at the Lansing State Journal. One woman stated that she had continued to work toward forgiveness, and that, “It is my time to heal and it is (Hallak’s) time to be punished.”
Hallak’s attorney, Elias Muawad, said that Hallak will appeal the suspension of his medical license. As he exited the courtroom, he briefly waved to his family. Kelly Morton, Eaton County Assistant Prosecutor, said that the result was satisfactory, and that the prosecution was glad Hallak would be held accountable and never practice medicine again.
Michigan sex crime lawyers know this is exactly the type of outcome that is all too common, and an example of what can happen when an individual is accused of sexual assault. Besides the typical penalties of jail/prison time and requirement to register as a sex offender, those who are convicted face a ruined reputation, and often a ruined career.
Any sex-related offense is serious business; in order to secure the best possible outcome, it is critical that any individual accused of rape, sexual assault, or other serious criminal offense consult with an aggressive and experienced Michigan sex crime attorney.