Doctor Pleads No Contest to Felony Sexual Battery

A Lancaster doctor accused of sexually abusing six women in his office since 1986 faces a one-year county jail sentence, five years probation and revocation of his medical license after pleading no contest Tuesday to felony sexual battery.

Dr. Ziyad A. Ghabra, a 40-year-old obstetrician-gynecologist, entered the plea at a pretrial hearing before Lancaster Superior Court Judge Thomas Stoever. Ghabra remained free on his own recognizance until sentencing Feb. 1.

“I think we’ve seen the last of Dr. Ghabra practicing medicine in California,” Deputy Dist. Atty. Robert Foltz said. The prosecutor had previously obtained two misdemeanor convictions against Ghabra for similar allegations in 1986. But one of those was later dismissed on appeal.

Ghabra agreed in November to stop practicing medicine until the Medical Board of California makes a final decision on a separate action to revoke his license. A hearing on that case is expected later this month before an administrative law judge in Los Angeles.

In the criminal case filed in July, Ghabra was charged with felony sexual battery and false imprisonment for fondling a woman office visitor June 15. He also was charged with misdemeanor battery for allegedly rubbing against a pregnant patient on June 2.

Under the plea bargain, Ghabra will serve only one year in County Jail instead of the four-year state prison sentence possible for sexual battery, Foltz said. The last month of his sentence will be spent at a psychiatric facility.

The medical board, in its administrative filings last year, accused Ghabra of sexually abusing the same two women involved in the criminal case and four others--three patients and one employee. His alleged actions included fondling, kissing and grabbing women, and having sex with one patient.

Ghabra could apply to be reinstated after three years if the medical board revokes his license. But Foltz said he will ask the judge at sentencing to bar Ghabra from practicing medicine during his five-year period of probation. And Foltz said Ghabra also may leave California altogether.