Capitola detectives reportedly say two former patients had previously complained about abuse by a psychologist arrested last month on suspicion of molesting an 8-year-old girl who had been his patient.
Dr. John William "Bill" Visher was reportedly arrested Sept. 19 at his La Selva Beach home after Capitola police investigated an allegation that he committed lewd acts against the child at his former Bay Avenue office in 2009, detective Sarah Ryan said.
The alleged acts were reported in January, and the investigation was complicated due to doctor-patient privilege, investigators said.
Tuesday, as Visher reportedly pleaded not guilty to five felony charges in Santa Cruz County Superior Court, Ryan said her continuing investigation uncovered complaints about abuse of two boys who were ages 6 and 10 at the time.
Those complaints did not reportedly lead to prosecution, but Ryan has reinterviewed one of the former patients and hopes to reinterview the second, she said.
"So there was essentially a pattern," she said. "And I hope they do lead to prosecution this time. I hope the victims get that validation."
She reportedly declined to say when the alleged abuse occurred or what it might have entailed.
In court Tuesday, defense attorney Doug Fox reportedly entered not guilty pleas to charges that Visher had committed lewd acts with a child younger than 14 and had displayed harmful matter to her, and to four counts of possession of child pornography.
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