The South Dakota Board of Medical and Osteopathic Examiners said Thursday that it will be investing the license of Jonathon David Cohen, a Sanford doctor who was charged with human trafficking a year-old girl. Cohen voluntarily agreed to refrain from practicing and prescribing medicine while the case is going on. A Sioux Falls doctor is facing a one million dollar cash bond on human trafficking and numerous other charges. Police say Dr.
Johnathon Cohen was arrested late Tuesday night after a year-old girl living in his apartment called McGowan said the victim was worried Cohen may be suicidal. But he was taken into custody without incident. Sioux Falls police say Cohen bought plane tickets for the year-old runaway to come from Georgia to Sioux Falls; the first trip was in early September, the next at the beginning of October.
McGowan said the sexual relationship began moments after she got off the plane. Colwill said. Cohen's defense attorney said he met the victim on the website seeking arrangement. The prosecution says the victim didn't know sex would be expected of her until she got off the plane; that's when the victim said Cohen first initiated sexual contact.
Wilde says Sanford patient services contacted Dr. Cohen's staff and patients, some of them minors, to see if anyone else may have been affected.
But no one has come forward with other accusations. Cohen does not have a criminal record, but the prosecution eluded in court Thursday that Cohen was on a national watch list and may have communicated with several other teenage girls, details we're sure to learn more about through the trial. Cohen is charged with two counts of Human Trafficking carrying a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison. He also faces three counts of sexual exploitation, promoting prostitution, possession with intent to distribute marijuana to a minor, possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.
