Former UCLA Gynecologist Pleads Guilty to Sex Abuse After Overturned Conviction

James Heaps sentenced to 11 years in prison for assaulting multiple patients over his career

Apr. 15, 2026 at 1:22am

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An extreme close-up photograph of a metal medical examination tool, its harsh shadows and bright highlights creating a stark, unsettling mood that conceptually represents the violation of patient trust.A harsh, unforgiving spotlight on the tools of a medical betrayal, exposing the dark realities behind a respected professional's abuse of power.Los Angeles Today

A former University of California, Los Angeles, gynecologist has pleaded guilty to 13 felony charges related to the sexual assault of five patients over his 35-year career. James Heaps was originally sentenced to 11 years in prison in 2023 but had that conviction overturned earlier this year. Instead of going to trial again, Heaps has now pleaded guilty and been sentenced to 11 years behind bars.

Why it matters

The case against Heaps is part of a wave of sexual misconduct scandals involving campus doctors at universities across the country in recent years. UCLA agreed to pay nearly $700 million to hundreds of Heaps' former patients, a record amount for a public university.

The details

Heaps pleaded guilty to six counts of sexual penetration of an unconscious person, five counts of sexual battery by fraud, and two counts of sexual exploitation of a patient. His original 2023 conviction was overturned by an appeals court, which ruled that Heaps was denied a fair trial because the judge did not share with his attorneys a note from the jury's foreman about a juror's English proficiency.

  • Heaps was originally sentenced to 11 years in prison in 2023.
  • His conviction was overturned by an appeals court in February 2026.
  • Heaps pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 11 years in prison on April 15, 2026.

The players

James Heaps

A former University of California, Los Angeles, gynecologist who pleaded guilty to multiple felony charges related to the sexual assault of five patients over his 35-year career.

Leonard Levine

Heaps' attorney, who previously said he believed 'it's just a matter of time before he is totally exonerated' after Heaps' original conviction was overturned.

Nathan Hochman

The Los Angeles County District Attorney, who said Heaps' guilty plea and sentence sends a clear message that 'there will be severe consequences for any violation of patients' rights and dignity.'

John Manly

An attorney who represented more than 200 of Heaps' former patients in lawsuits against UCLA.

UCLA

The University of California, Los Angeles, where Heaps worked as a gynecologist for 35 years and where the sexual assaults took place.

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What they’re saying

“While no sentence can undo the incredible harm that James Heaps engaged in … hopefully these admissions of guilt and the sentence he received today are a small measure of justice for all that the survivors had to endure.”

— Nathan Hochman, Los Angeles County District Attorney

“Heaps' guilty plea and sentence sends a clear message that 'there will be severe consequences for any violation of patients' rights and dignity.”

— John Manly, Attorney representing Heaps' former patients

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing issue of sexual misconduct by medical professionals, particularly those in positions of trust and authority. The record-setting settlement paid by UCLA and the severe sentence handed down to Heaps demonstrate the growing consequences for such abuses of power and the importance of holding perpetrators accountable.