High bail ordered for Boston man charged with sexual offenses during medical exam

BOSTON, October 8, 2024 – A Boston man is being held on $50,000 bail after being charged with committing an indecent assault and battery during a medical exam last week, Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden announced.

CHRISTOPHER FISHER, 58, of Boston, was charged in Chelsea District Court Monday with two counts of indecent exposure, two counts of open and gross lewdness, assault, indecent assault and battery on a person over 14, and possession of a class E substance.

Judge Matthew Machera ordered Fisher held on $50,000 with GPS monitoring if released. Fisher was also ordered to stay away from Mass General Hospital and undergo a mental health evaluation. Fisher is due back in court on October 31 for a pre-trial hearing.

Fisher is a registered level 3 sex offender with a 19-page board of probation record including multiple convictions for open and gross lewdness and lascivious behavior.

On October 4, Chelsea police were notified by Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) police of a sexual assault that occurred at the MGH Healthcare Center located on Everett Avenue.

A patient, later identified as Fisher, had requested to be seen by a female doctor. Fisher told the doctor he was concerned about a rash on and around his genitals and bleeding from possible hemorrhoids.

After an initial assessment, the doctor asked Fisher to change into a hospital gown for further examination. The doctor proceeded with a medical assistant present, per MGH policy regarding such exams. The doctor told Fisher she did not observe any rashes and noticed Fisher becoming aroused. Fisher then asked the doctor to further examine his genitals due to additional concerns. During this exam, Fisher insisted he suffered from a rash while grabbing his erect penis and saying “Look! Look at it! There is something there.”

The doctor observed Fisher moving his hand in an up and down motion, turning his body toward her, and attempting to ejaculate on her. The doctor lifted the hospital gown up as a barrier between her and Fisher.

Police met with the doctor and assistant.  The assistant corroborated the doctor’s statements and provided officers with a bag containing the hospital gown and seat covering bearing Fisher’s bodily fluids.

During a search, police recovered a black plastic bag tucked into Fisher’s sock, filled with 17.5 white oval pills.

“Incidents like this illustrate how unpredictable a call or interaction can be for health care workers and first responders. I am very sorry for what these women witnessed while they were simply trying to do their jobs,” Hayden said.

The victims of any crime, including domestic or sexual violence, should call 911 in an emergency.  SafeLink, a statewide DV hotline, can be reached at 877-785-2020.  SafeLink is answered by trained advocates 24/7 in English, Spanish and Portuguese, as well as TTY at 877-521-2601.  It also has the capacity to provide multilingual translation in more than 140 languages. RAINN, the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization in partnership with more than 1,000 local sexual assault service providers across the country, can be reached at 800-656-4673.

Help is also available for members of our LGBTQ+ community experiencing domestic or intimate partner violence through The Network/La Red by calling 617-742-4911 or 800-832-1901. 

 

All charged individuals are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden’s office serves the communities of Boston, Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop, Mass. The office handles over 20,000 cases a year. More than 160 attorneys in the office practice in nine district and municipal courts, Suffolk Superior Court, the Massachusetts Appeals Court, the Supreme Judicial Court, and the Boston Juvenile Courts. The office employs some 300 people and offers a wide range of services and programs to serve anyone who comes in contact with the criminal justice system. This office is committed to educating the public about the services we provide, our commitment to crime prevention, and our dedication to keeping the residents of Suffolk County safe.

James Borghesani, Chief of Communications

SCDAO