South OC Doctor Charged With Groping Female Patients

IRVINE, CA — Authorities Thursday sought the public's help in finding potential victims of a 79-year-old south Orange County doctor charged with sexually assaulting two of his patients at Hoag Hospital in Irvine.

Irvine resident Dr. John Carl Hoefs, 79, was charged with sexually battery after he allegedly assaulted two patients when he grabbed their breasts during medical exams at Hoag Hospital, Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer wrote in a statement.

In addition to Hoag Hospital in Irvine, Hoefs was formerly employed by the UCI Medical Center and the Liver Specialty Center in Irvine.

According to the criminal complaint, the abuse is dated to 2020, when Hoefs was accused of assaulting a patient suffering from a liver condition on five separate occasions.

The hepatologist assaulted the woman by folding over her medical gown, exposing her breasts and grabbing them during each medical visit, the complaint said. When the patient would try to cover herself, Spitzer alleged Hoefs would move the gown and expose her breasts for the remainder of the exam.

He is also accused of groping another patient's breasts during an exam in Nov. 2016 and again in Oct. 2017, Spitzer said.

Hoefs was arrested May 3 but was released after posting a $500,000 bond. He is scheduled to be arraigned on June 13 at the Harbor Justice Center in Newport Beach.

"Sexual predators come in all forms and in all walks of life — even ones wearing white doctors' coats," Spitzer said. "Women seeking potentially life-saving medical treatment should not be subjected to sexual abuse by the medical professional they have entrusted with their lives."

Anyone with information was asked to contact Irvine Police Department Detective Rebecca Steen at 949-724-7170.