Chiropractor faces 12 new charges of sexual contact

Columbus police have filed 12 new charges involving six women who accuse a Clintonville chiropractor of touching them inappropriately during visits, adding to the 23 misdemeanor sexual imposition charges filed about two weeks ago concerning two other patients.

The new sexual imposition charges were filed Monday in Franklin County Municipal Court against Ryan D. Smith of Synergy Chiropractic Wellness Clinic. Smith is accused of rubbing the breasts of the patients and of positioning himself so that their hands would come into contact with his genitals during treatments, according to court documents. Smith, 44, who lives in Delaware, could not be reached for comment Monday. It is unclear if he is represented by an attorney. Smith has been summoned to appear in Municipal Court at 9 a.m. April 5.

The new charges, filed by a detective with the Columbus Division of Police Sexual Assault Unit, all involve allegations reported to police starting March 8, the day it was revealed that Smith had been charged with the first 23 counts.

One of the six new accusers came forward to police that day; a second the next day; and the rest the following week. The incidents allegedly occurred in 2016 and 2017.

All of the victims told police that Smith rubbed their breasts while they were undergoing treatment. Four also said Smith positioned himself to cause the patients’ hands to come into contact with his genitals. One of the four gave two exact dates for the abuse, in November 2016 and February 2017, resulting in four sexual-imposition charges.

The Ohio State Chiropractic Board separately has accused Smith of gross immorality and gross malpractice regarding similar allegations involving a patient he treated in 2014. Smith has requested a hearing on the board complaints.

Smith was licensed by the board in 2003, and issued warnings by it in 2007 and 2015 for sexual misconduct. His license was placed on a two-year probation in November after he entered an agreement with the board, admitting failure to “explain the necessity of performing a procedure that involved contact with the female breast” and to not having a third party present during the examination without asking the patient if that was OK. He agreed to enter a program to determine if he was fit to practice, complete 25 hours of continuing education, and pass an ethics and boundaries examination.

According to his business website, Smith received his undergraduate degree in exercise physiology from Ohio State University before graduating from Texas Chiropractic College. He has provided treatment for the Senior Olympics, and served on the volunteer medical staff for the Arnold Fitness Weekend, it said.