Sun River Health Care in Riverside physician's assistant charged with forcibly touching patient
A 54-year-old physician's assistant has been arrested and charged with forcibly touching a 21-year-old patient during an office examination in Riverside last spring, according to Southampton Town police.
Kenneth J. Alessi, of Mattituck, allegedly touched a female patient's "intimate body parts" while examining her for rib pain on June 15 at Sun River Health Care, located at 300 Center Drive, police said.
Alessi was arrested at the clinic on Friday and charged with forcible touching, a misdemeanor.
He pleaded not guilty during his arraignment Saturday at Southampton Town Justice Court, according to his lawyer Tom Spreer, who was retained after the proceeding. Spreer said Alessi was released on his own recognizance.
Lt. Susan Ralph of the Southampton police said detectives had been searching for Alessi since June: “He had taken some leave and was not able to be located,” Ralph said.
But Spreer maintained that Alessi was living at the same Mattituck home he's resided in for several years and only recently took a brief leave from work after undergoing reconstructive shoulder surgery.
"He worked at Sun River this entire time except for a period from early November through early December when he was recuperating at home," Spreer said.
The center learned about the incident on Friday when Alessi was taken out of the center. He has been suspended from his job pending the outcome of the investigation, according to Todd Dorman, the center's spokesman.
"The health and safety of our patients is our highest priority and concern, and we are fully cooperating with the investigation," Dorman said in an email.
Alessi received his license in 2006, according to the New York State Office of the Professions.
Sun River has over 40 locations throughout Long Island, New York City and the Hudson Valley, and serves more than 250,000 patients, the center's website states.
Alessi could not be reached for comment.
Lorena Mongelli has been reporting for Newsday since 2021. Prior to that, she covered breaking news at the New York Post.
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