First of four trials for Pensacola dentist focuses on alleged battery against employee

Benjamin Johnson, Pensacola News Journal
·3 min read

Pensacola dentist Charles Stamitoles will sit in court Thursday as one of his six counts of battery is tried before a jury.

Stamitoles sat in jury selection Monday morning where his defense attorneys, Gene Mitchell and John Beroset, and prosecuting attorney, Nathaniel Sebastian, decided which of the four cases they would send to trial first.

The attorneys, along with Judge Kristina Lightel, decided the first case to be heard involves one of Stamitoles' employees, who he allegedly slapped on the buttocks before hugging her from behind.

Pensacola dentist Charles Stamitoles waits in the courtroom with his legal team as they prepare for the jury selection process to begin on Monday.
Pensacola dentist Charles Stamitoles waits in the courtroom with his legal team as they prepare for the jury selection process to begin on Monday.

'Immediate and present danger': Judge grants injunction against dentist Charles Stamitoles

Allegations without charges: More women report inappropriate touching by Pensacola dentist. Why charges won't be filed.

Florida surgeon general intervenes: Pensacola dentist barred from seeing female patients; pleads not guilty to sexual battery

The four cases consist of:

  • One count of battery against a client

  • Three counts of battery against a client

  • One count of battery against a client

  • One count of battery against an employee

In the case in which he faces trial this week, his former employee told deputies that she was preparing dental tools for an operation May 24 when Stamitoles allegedly "grabbed her by her arm, hit her on her butt with his open hand, and then hugged her."

The following day on May 25, Stamitoles allegedly "shut the door, he hugged her from behind and kissed her on the back of her head and then told her to now do it to him."

In this incident, Stamitoles is charged with one count of battery. The other five counts of battery separated into three cases will move to jury selection Oct. 24.

In one of the pending counts, he allegedly rubbed his body against a patient while moaning and told her that he thought her tattoos were "sexy."

Pensacola dentist Charles Stamitoles waits in the courtroom with his legal team as they prepare for the jury selection process to begin Monday.
Pensacola dentist Charles Stamitoles waits in the courtroom with his legal team as they prepare for the jury selection process to begin Monday.

On Dec. 16, 2020, he allegedly patted a different female patient's breast while she was in the operating chair, complimenting her physical appearance.

"(Victim) said that Stamitoles was beginning to administer the medicine to numb her mouth area when he patted her with his hand on her right breast area," his arrest report noted.

While these pending charges are misdemeanors, Stamitoles was charged with felony battery on a person over 65 after allegedly grabbing his 74-year-old client's face and kissing it.

"She stated that on her last appointment … while she was sitting in the room, she had concerns about her teeth and made a statement to her dentist, S/Charles Stamitoles, that maybe she should go see another dentist because she felt that (he) was not doing anything to help her fix her teeth," the report noted.

After she made the statement, she told deputies that "he placed both of his hands on each side of her face, while putting his face about six to eight inches in front of her face and told her to look into his eyes."

His next court date for his felony charge is scheduled for Dec. 21.

Stamitoles' first misdemeanor trial is set to begin Thursday at 8:45 a.m. at the M.C. Blanchard Judicial Building.

Benjamin Johnson can be reached at bjohnson@pnj.com or 850-435-8578

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Pensacola dentist Charles Stamitoles faces battery on employee charges