Army Maj. Michael Stockin leaves his court-martial at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, after pleading guilty to 41 counts of sexual abuse of former patients. Behind him is his lead defense attorney Robert Capovilla. (KOMO News-Seattle)

An Army doctor charged with sexually abusing 41 male patients pleaded guilty Tuesday at the start of his court-martial at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington.

Maj. Michael Stockin, an anesthesiologist and pain management doctor at Madigan Army Medical Center, reached a plea deal that a lawyer representing some of the victims said would result in a sentence of 10 to 14 years in military prison.

“It’s three to four months for each of the 41 victims,” said Ryan Guilds, an attorney representing seven victims. “There is satisfaction that justice has been done. As men in the Army, this has been difficult. A lot of guilt, a lot of shame. We have pride in their courage coming forward.”

Stockin appeared in court wearing his Army service uniform, flanked by a team of civilian defense lawyers. He rarely spoke during the two-hour opening session of the court-martial, except when Col. Larry Babin, the military judge assigned to the trial, asked if he wished to be tried by a panel of officers or by the judge.

“By judge alone, sir,” Stockin said.

His guilty pleas were read aloud by one of his defense lawyers.

The start of the trial comes nearly three years after the Army pulled Stockin off medical duties with patients following complaints of improper conduct. He arrived at Madigan Army Medical Center in July 2019 and has been restricted to administrative duties since February 2022.

After an 18-month investigation, the Army charged Stockin with sexual abuse crimes in August 2023.

Under the deal, Stockin pleaded guilty to 36 charges of violating Article 120 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, the military’s laws. The charges are “abusive sexual contact.”

Abusive sexual contact is defined in military law as “touching of the genitalia, anus, groin, breast, inner thigh, or buttocks of any person.”

Stockin also pleaded guilty to five charges of “indecent viewing” of disrobed patients under a separate subsection of Article 120.

Stockin’s charge sheet said he acted “with intent to arouse and gratify his sexual desire by making a fraudulent representation that the sexual contact served a medical purpose.”

According to written statements by victims submitted to the court, they were assigned to Stockin for diagnosis and treatment of issues such as back pain or an arthritic shoulder. In each case, Stockin would wait until he was alone in a room with the patient, tell them to disrobe, and then fondle their genitals.

The Army’s Criminal Investigation Division has also sought information on possible misconduct by Stockin at his earlier assignments at Tripler Army Medical Center in Hawaii, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., and during a six-month deployment to Iraq. No charges were filed for incidents other than at Lewis-McChord.

Army and defense lawyers confirmed in September that a plea deal had been reached.

Michelle McCaskill, spokeswoman for the Army Office of Special Trial Counsel, which is leading the prosecution of Stockin, declined to discuss specifics of the agreement on Tuesday.

“Further details of his plea agreement are not releasable at this time as the agreement is subject to the acceptance by the military judge,” McCaskill said.

Robert Capovilla, a former Army lawyer who is Stockin’s lead defense counsel, could not be reached for comment following the Tuesday hearing.

In addition to serving time in prison, military law calls for Stockin to be dismissed from the Army — the equivalent of a dishonorable discharge for officers. He would be required to relinquish all benefits and register as a sex offender. As a felon, he could lose the right to vote or own firearms.

At least 22 of Stockin’s victims have filed federal claims against the Army, totaling at least $110 million. The action is the first step in seeking the right to sue the government for civil damages.