Former UCLA gynecologist found guilty of sexual abuse

Jurors found former UCLA gynecologist Dr. James Heaps guilty on five counts Thursday following accusations that he sexually abusing female patients while working at the university. 

Heaps, 65, was found guilty of three counts of sexual battery by fraud and two counts of sexual penetration of an unconscious person, following assaults between 2013 and 2017, according to the Los Angeles Times. On other charges, he was found not guilty of seven, and a mistrial was declared by the judge regarding the other nine because the jury could not reach verdicts on them.

The trial comes as hundreds have stepped forward, accusing him of sexual abuse during his 35-year career in connection with UCLA. The University of California system is paying $700 million to settle lawsuits against Heaps and the university filed by women who accused him of sexual abuse.

Heaps is currently facing up to 28 years in prison and is awaiting sentencing scheduled for Nov. 17.