A dentist, Joseph Clarence Cox, has been sentenced to 180 years in prison for committing heinous crimes including rape, sodomy, and sexual abuse against his employees and patients. Cox, 44, was convicted by a local jury in January and received the severe sentence from a judge.
The Deputy District Attorney of Etowah County, Carol Griffith, disclosed that Cox was apprehended in April 2021 after a comprehensive investigation by the Gadsden Police Department in Alabama. The trial exposed a significant turnover rate among Cox’s staff from June 2020 to April 2021, attributed to his inappropriate sexual conduct with employees.
Testimonies from eight former employees detailed instances of sexual abuse by Cox during working hours, with some reporting incidents of rape and sodomy. Additionally, three former patients testified that Cox subjected them to sexual advances during dental procedures.
Following a week-long trial, Cox was found guilty by a jury on charges including first-degree rape, sodomy, and sexual abuse. This was not the first time Cox faced legal trouble, as he had previously admitted to harassment charges in 2012, resulting in probation and a suspension of his dental license.
During sentencing, Circuit Judge George Day criticized Cox for his disrespectful behavior towards women in his workplace, describing it as treating the office as his personal playground. Cox was handed a 25-year prison term for each count of First Degree Rape and Sodomy, along with a ten-year sentence for each charge of First Degree Sexual Abuse, to be served consecutively.
Ultimately, Cox’s sentences total 180 years in prison, ensuring justice for the victims of his despicable actions.