EDMONTON – A local physician who’s facing several charges, including luring related to child pornography, voluntary withdrew from medical practice Friday morning.
Michael Graff, 29, had been working as a doctor at Dominion Medical Centres in Edmonton one day a week.
Thursday, the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Team (ALERT) revealed Graff had been charged with four counts of luring following an online investigation. The accused is charged with luring to commit sexual interference, luring to commit invitation to sexual touching, luring to commit indecent exposure, and an additional count of luring related to child pornography.
Officers said he is not in custody but must abide by a number of conditions. Graff was still permitted to practice medicine during the investigation. However, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta said Friday morning, he voluntarily withdrew from practice.
“The physician has what we call an active license, so they are allowed to practice,” says Kelly Eby, Spokesperson for the College. “However, just as of this morning, the physician has voluntarily withdrawn from practice.”
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“So, they have an active license but they have chosen to voluntarily withdraw, so they’re not working,” she explains.
While the specifics of the decision are not being released, Eby says the physician will likely not work for a specific period of time.
“In general, usually the agreement is for a set amount of time, or until an investigation is complete, or until we get more information,” adds Eby.
She says she’s not heard of a situation like this happening recently.
“It’s very rare. It would be a handful over the last eight or ten years.”
Meanwhile, patients at the Dominion Medical Centres were surprised to hear of the charges.
“I’m really happy with my doctor. I don’t have any problems,” says Almudena Ramos.
“Maybe he’s not guilty,” she adds, after hearing Graff is technically still permitted to practice medicine. “I don’t know, I’m not the judge… they have to prove that he’s guilty. I think that he can continue to practice.”
During the interview with Global News, Ramos learned that the physician charged was her doctor.
“He’s my doctor, Michael Graff. And it’s my second time here, and you told me this story, this sad story. I think the next time I’ll come with another person to the medical clinic, I think, because I don’t feel safe.”
“It worries me, of course,” adds Ramos.
Other people visiting the clinic raised concerns, even though Graff did not treat them personally.
“Anybody walking in would be concerned with their safety,” says one man. “The doctors are the ones you have 100 per cent trust… people will be scared to walk into the clinic.”
“I think any person with authority, and having being charged with such conduct, it’s definitely a concern,” he adds.
“That’s a pretty serious offense…. I think he should be dismissed until it’s proven whether he was or he wasn’t.”
An integrated team of Edmonton Police Service (EPS) and RCMP members, called ICE north, executed a search warrant at an Edmonton residence on January 10. The team took the accused into custody without incident and seized computer equipment and electronic storage devices from the home.
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