Federal charges brought against Spokane doctor in child rape, porn case

Wed., Nov. 5, 2014

From Staff Reports

A federal grand jury Tuesday indicted Dr. Craig A. Morgenstern on accusations that during the past six years he took four children from Spokane to Hayden, where he allegedly sexually abused them and made pornographic films and pictures.

The physician remains jailed on the nine new federal charges and a separate state case. Morgenstern, 45, has been placed on administrative leave from the Spokane Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

Prosecutors with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Spokane said Morgenstern took a child to Hayden in September 2008. It’s a pattern he would repeat with three other children – including one child younger than 12 – in April 2010, May 2010 and October 2011, according to prosecutors.

Authorities said Morgenstern first came under suspicion about 2 1/2 weeks ago when police received a report that a 13-year-old boy awoke to being sexually abused at the doctor’s Nine Mile Falls home. The boy told police he pretended to be asleep until he could flee for help.

Two days later Morgenstern was arrested. He is accused of drugging the boy by mixing the sedative benzodiazepine into hot chocolate. When the boy passed out Morgenstern sexually abused him, according to court documents.

The nine-count federal indictment carries a possible penalty of up to life in prison.

Investigators continue to build a case against Morgenstern, who volunteered for several organizations that attracted large numbers of children. VA officials have said there was no indication that Morgenstern abused children at the north Spokane medical center.

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