ATTLEBORO, MASS. (WHDH) - A New Bedford doctor accused of paying a 14-year-old for sexual activity was ordered held on $75,000 bail Thursday.
Sujan Kayastha, 37, a hospitalist at St. Luke’s Hospital in New Bedford, was arraigned in Attleboro District Court on charges including possession of child pornography, two counts of disseminating obscene matter to a minor, two counts of electronic enticement of a child for prostitution, and trafficking of a person for sexual servitude.
A four-month-long investigation led to Kayastha’s arrest Wednesday.
Juvenile Det. Joseph Daday began investigating Kayastha after receiving a report in December 2018 that the Attleboro boy had been sexually assaulted, according to Attleboro police.
The execution of multiple search warrants on mobile devices and several social media accounts led Daday to Kayastha, who allegedly engaged in lengthy and sexually explicit communications with the juvenile victim that included the transmission of child pornography.
Kayastha offered drugs, money, and alcohol to the boy and made arrangements to bring him to a hotel in Seekonk to engage in a sexual encounter, police said.
Detectives executing a search warrant at Kayastha’s Dartmouth home on Wednesday arrested him without incident.
Kayastha allegedly made admissions and incriminating statements while being interviewed by investigators.
Police searching both Kayastha and the victim’s phones say the doctor knew the child was underage because the boy said so in his online conversations.
Detectives seized multiple mobile communications devices that contained child pornography, as well as suspected narcotics, according to police.
His neighbors were shocked by the allegations.
“You don’t expect it in your neighboorhood,” one woman said. “It can happen to anyone, anywhere, any class. He was a physician.”
Another neighbor said, “It’s enough to make me cry.”
In a statement, Southcoast Health said, “We are disturbed to learn of the allegations and arrest of Dr. Sujan Kayastha. Dr. Kayastha has immediately been relieved of his duties pending review of this matter. We are unable to comment further at this time.”
If Kayastha posts bail, he cannot leave the state or use social media, and he must stay away from the victim and anyone under the age of 18.
The investigation remains ongoing and police say further criminal charges may follow.
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