Police say employee, patient were victims of Tremont dentist's assault

Aug. 3—TREMONT — An Orwigsburg area man who has a dental practice in Tremont was arrested Tuesday and charged with touching and exposing himself to an employee and groping a patient.

Dr. Scott M. Parkinson, 58, of 160 Brookshire Lane, East Brunswick Twp., owner of Tremont Dentistry at 20 E. Laurel St., was arraigned on one felony count of sexual extortion — engaging in sexual conduct/nudity; two misdemeanor counts each of indecent assault without consent and disorderly conduct; one misdemeanor count of indecent exposure; and two summary counts of harassment.

According to court paperwork, the charges are the result of incidents between Dec. 21, 2017, and July 19, 2022.

State police criminal investigator Trooper Justin Bedford of the Schuylkill Haven station said that, on July 21, a woman who worked at the dental office from May 2 to July 20 reported that Parkinson deliberately groped her buttocks, breasts and legs over the top of her clothing without consent.

The woman said Parkinson's actions made her uncomfortable and that she repeatedly told him to stop.

She said about two weeks after she was hired she was alone at her desk when Parkinson moved close to her and began to rub her leg, prompting her to stand up and move to another room. Bedford said the woman reported Parkinson followed her into an empty room, grabbed her, pulled her close to him and tried to kiss her. Again, the woman said she told him no and pushed him in an attempt to get away.

On July 19, the woman said she went to Parkinson to ask a work-related question but, when looking into his office, saw he had exposed himself. She instead went to the waiting room to escort a patient to be seen by Parkinson. While walking by the doctor's office, she saw that he was still exposing himself, according to Bedford.

Later that day, the woman reported, Parkinson was speaking with the last patient while she was in the back cleaning equipment, after which he approached her from behind, grabbed her and began assaulting her, Bedford said.

When she turned to tell him to stop, she saw that he had exposed himself and she immediately left the office, the trooper said.

The woman said Parkinson tried to contact her by text after that event. When she did not respond, he wrote, "sure ignore you boss. That raise might happen in November," according to Bedford.

The woman told Bedford she took that to mean that if she did not participate in sexual activity with Parkinson she may not get a raise or could even lose her job, the trooper said.

Other allegations

Bedford alleges he uncovered additional misconduct by Parkinson.

A woman reported that, on Dec. 21, 2017, she was sexually assaulted by Parkinson while at his office for an emergency dental procedure. She said Parkinson was walking her back to the dental lab room when he touched her buttocks in a sexual manner and ran his hand from her hip to the top of her leg.

While Parkinson was performing the procedure, he asked her for a lunch date, the woman said.

Bedford said that after the procedure, Parkinson walked the woman to the front desk and while helping her with her coat touched her buttocks again and touched her a third time as she was leaving the office.

Several days later the woman said Parkinson contacted her on social media and repeatedly apologized for his actions.

Bedford said Parkinson did not charge the alleged victim for his services.

Parkinson was arraigned Tuesday before Magisterial District Court Judge David J. Rossi.

Bedford told the judge that in 1993 Parkinson entered a plea of no contest to charges of indecent assault and received 25 months probation. In 1994, Bedford said Parkinson entered a no contest plea to charges of disorderly conduct and harassment and received 12 months probation on each charge.

"Both of these were sexual in nature as well," Bedford told Rossi.

Rossi set a preliminary hearing for 9 a.m. Aug. 11.

Parkinson was led out in handcuffs and returned to the Schuylkill Haven state police station for processing.

Bedford told Rossi that Parkinson had planned a 10-day trip to Peru and was scheduled to depart Friday.

Rossi set bail at $25,000 straight cash, ordered Parkinson to be fingerprinted and not to have contact with the alleged victims. The judge also revoked the defendant's passport.

"You won't be traveling outside of this country," Rossi told Parkinson.

About the straight cash bail Rossi said, "we have a duty to ensure that additional crimes will not be committed."

Parkinson, after being jailed at Schuylkill County Prison, subsequently posted bail later Tuesday.

Rossi said the charge of sexual extortion carries a maximum prison sentence of seven years and a $15,000 fine; the indecent assault-without consent each carries a maximum prison sentence of two years and fines of $5,000 each; and the indecent exposure charges carries a maximum of two years in prison and a $5,000 fine.

Parkinson had been taken into custody at his office just before the 10:45 arraignment by Bedford, Cpl. Charles Zukowsky and Sgt. Thomas Hornung.