Ex-NBC News medical correspondent sentenced after soliciting indecent photos from 9-year-old
The doctor worked as an on-air correspondent for NBC News for more than 30 years
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Dr Bruce Hensel, 74, an Emmy-winning former medical correspondent for KNBC Los Angeles, has been sentenced to two years probation for soliciting indecent photos from a child.
Dr Hensel pleaded no contest to the charges. He was ordered to register as a sex offender.
The doctor was arrested in Los Angeles in 2019 after he was accused of contacting a nine-year-old acquaintance and asking her to take nude photographs and send them to him.
Investigators obtained transcripts of the text messages between Dr Hensel and the girl that showed he repeatedly asked her for photos that were "sexy and private," according to the Los Angeles Times.
Dr Hensel addressed the victim's family in court, offering an apology and citing his faith in God when describing his desire for forgiveness.
"I'm terribly sorry for what happened. I've done everything I can to understand this isolated thing," he said.
The doctor insisted he had never done something like that before and that he never would again.
The victim's father initially told the doctor he had betrayed his role as a healer, saying he "crossed the line and violated the vow" he took as a doctor. The father later reportedly hugged Dr Hensel and said he forgave him.
The doctor knew the victim through her mother. The pair had reportedly been discussing financing a movie in which the little girl would star.
“I have always been good special friends and you feel safe with me so I will protect you and get you something,” Dr Hensel wrote in 2019, according to court records. “They could maybe make you a star if you are willing to take some risks.”
The doctor was confronted outside the courthouse by an ABC News reporter who asked him what he had to say to the girl’s family. He declined to offer comment.
Dr Hensel worked for NBC News for more than 30 years as a chief medical correspondent and hosted the show "Health Fax."