IOWA CITY, Iowa (KCRG) – A former University of Iowa Health Care social worker was sentenced to 15 years in prison Thursday for sexually exploiting patients over a span of several years.
James Burkhalter, of Coralville, pleaded guilty in February to three counts of sexual exploitation by a counselor or therapist, a felony in Iowa. The charges stem from incidents between 2019 and 2023.
Court documents show Burkhalter admitted to engaging in sexual conduct with patients during three time periods: March to April 2019, October to December 2019, and July 2022 to January 2023.
According to criminal complaints, Burkhalter engaged in sex acts with at least one patient between November 2019 and March 2020. One complaint says Burkhalter took the patient’s hand and placed it on his “erect penis” over the top of his clothing.
Some of the incidents occurred after Burkhalter was fired from UIHC in May 2022. Burkhalter is also accused of having sex with patients while he was employed as a social worker and providing services. The complaint mentions incidents in which he allegedly groped a victim during scheduled appointments in July and November 2022.
“UI Health Care takes reports of employee misconduct very seriously,” said Laura Shoemaker, Public Relations Manager for UIHC. “James Burkhalter was terminated in 2022 after an internal investigation determined he had an inappropriate relationship with a patient. UI Health Care also reported evidence of Burkhalter’s misconduct to professional licensing boards and law enforcement.”
In 2023, Burkhalter’s license had been suspended by the Iowa Board of Social Work after he was accused of having a sexual relationship with a patient.
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