OB-GYN pleads guilty to taking nude photos, gets 3 years

Dr. Paul Becton, left, an obstetrician-gynocologist of Paragould is escorted by a Greene County sheriff's deputy on Thursday, April 17, 2014, after a probable cause hearing at the Greene County Courthouse in Paragould. Becton is charged with taking photographs of a nude female patient and was ordered held in lieu of $500,000 bond.
Dr. Paul Becton, left, an obstetrician-gynocologist of Paragould is escorted by a Greene County sheriff's deputy on Thursday, April 17, 2014, after a probable cause hearing at the Greene County Courthouse in Paragould. Becton is charged with taking photographs of a nude female patient and was ordered held in lieu of $500,000 bond.

A former Paragould women's doctor accused of taking nude photographs of patients without their consent pleaded guilty Wednesday and was sentenced to three years in prison, authorities said.

Prosecuting Attorney Scott Ellington said in a release that 69-year-old Paul Becton pleaded guilty to video voyeurism charges before Greene County Circuit Judge Barbara Halsey. In addition to the prison term, he must register as a sex offender upon release.

“Dr. Becton will never practice medicine again and will be under law enforcement supervision as a registered sex offender for the rest of his life,” Ellington said in the statement. “We are satisfied that justice has been obtained for our community.”

Becton was arrested last April after a woman told investigators she suspected Becton took cellphone photos of her during an examination. Police seized Becton's phone and found evidence "corroborating the patient's complaint," the statement said.

Other victims then contacted authorities and said they suspected Becton had taken photos of them as well.

Zach Morrison, a spokesman for Ellington's office, said Becton pleaded guilty to four counts of video voyeurism representing four cases. Additional video voyeurism counts related to those same four cases were dismissed as part of the plea deal, Morrison said.

A plea statement signed Wednesday by Becton acknowledged that the plea was made "voluntarily" and because he is "in truth, and in fact, guilty as charged."

The statement from Ellington's office said the victims were pleased with the plea deal and sentence because it means avoiding a trial where they would have to "share their stories in open court."

See Thursday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.

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