Macomb County Jail Doctor Traded Sex For Candy, Tobacco: Police

MACOMB COUNTY, MI — A doctor at the Macomb County Jail has been accused of sexual misconduct with at least three female inmates, one of whom he gave candy and cigarettes to in exchange for sexual acts, officials said.

Dr. Steven Cogswell, 53, of Waterford, is charged with six counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct, each count a felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison. He is expected to be arraigned Friday afternoon.

Macomb County Sheriff Anthony Wickersham held a news conference Friday morning to address the case, saying Cogswell is accused of inappropriately touching two female patients in their genital areas. A third female inmate said she intentionally performed a sexual act on the doctor in exchange for candy and tobacco, the Sheriff said.

Wockersham said the victims are agres 29, 27 and 31. Sheriff's detectives first received a note from an inmate about the alleged misconduct on Sept. 16, 2018, WDIV reported. The note referenced the two allegations about inappropriate touching. Wickersham said they discovered the third woman's allegations during an investigation after receiving the note.

Cogswell was considered a contract employee with Correct Care Solutions. He began the job on Aug. 8, 2018. He was fired from the job earlier this month after the allegations were brought forward in September.

Wickerhsam said the doctor was alone with the inmates during examinations. His office said his detectives investigated Cogswell and sought the charges, which were issued by Macomb County Prosecutor Eric Smith.

"This man’s actions were an outrageous abuse of power," Smith said in a news release Thursday. "Doctor Cogswell had access to vulnerable women and sexually exploited them. This type of despicable behavior from a medical professional will not be tolerated."

Subscribe to Patch for more regional news and real-time alerts. Connect with Detroit Patch on Facebook. Image via Shutterstock