An Alabama dentist has been sentenced to 180 years in prison for committing multiple acts of rape, sodomy, and sexual abuse against his staff and patients.
Joseph Clarence Cox, 44, was arrested in April 2021 following an investigation by the Gadsden Police Department, which uncovered disturbing abuse inflicted on eight former staff members and three patients at his dental office.
This isn’t the first time Cox has faced consequences for sexual misconduct.
Before opening his dental practice in Gadsden, he was suspended for sexual harassment.
A former employee at his previous dental office in Fort Payne accused him of inappropriate behavior in 2012, leading Cox to plead guilty to three counts of harassment after the case was appealed to circuit court.
He was fined $500, given probation, and had his dental license suspended for six months.
During Cox’s trial in January, eight former employees and three patients testified about a pattern of sexual abuse, including rape and sodomy, occurring during dental procedures.
The jury found Cox guilty of multiple charges, resulting in a cumulative sentence of 180 years.
Judge George Day described Cox’s dental office as a “personal playground” where he showed no regard for the women he encountered.
Cox’s arrest followed a period of high employee turnover at his clinic between June 2020 and April 2021, prompting a police investigation and search warrants executed at his home and clinic on Rainbow Drive.
Despite paying a $100,000 bond, Cox was detained during the trial based on allegations from former employees who testified about enduring sexual abuse during work hours.
Judge Day emphasized the severity of Cox’s crimes by ordering his sentences to run consecutively, ensuring justice for each victim.
Cox’s history of sexual harassment underscores the importance of holding perpetrators accountable for their actions, particularly in professional settings where vulnerable individuals are at risk.
