File photo of Clifford Henshaw from the Presque Isle County Sheriff's Office.

ROGERS CITY — Dr. Clifford Henshaw, owner of Henshaw Chiropractic in Rogers City, had a past accusation of inappropriate sexual contact at his former practice in Franklin, NC in 2009, for which he ultimately pleaded guilty to assault on a female and had his chiropractic license suspended for 90 days.

Henshaw is currently charged with multiple counts of fourth degree criminal sexual conduct (CSC) in Presque Isle County.

Henshaw was bound over to the 53rd Circuit Court in Presque Isle County on April 21 for two charges of fourth degree criminal sexual conduct (CSC) for an incident that happened at his practice in Rogers City in November.

He has additional charge(s) of fourth degree CSC that are awaiting preliminary examination on June 2.

The information for this story was obtained from documents from the North Carolina Board of Chiropractic Examiners.

The Henshaw Chiropractic website states that Henshaw had a practice in Franklin, NC for 20 years.

The North Carolina Board of Chiropractic Examiners lists that Henshaw had a chiropractic license in the state beginning on Nov. 11, 2003. That license expired on Dec. 31, 2024. The status of his license is listed as lapsed.

Henshaw currently has a chiropractic license in Michigan which began on March 7, 1988. His license is listed as active and it expires on March 7, 2027.

According to a document “in the matter of David C. Henshaw Final Agency Decision” from the North Carolina Board of Chiropractic Examiners, on April 9, 2009, a client alleged that Henshaw engaged in “lewd or immoral conduct” towards them during an office visit on April 1, 2009.

The News does not name of victims of sexual assault.

The patient was under active care with Henshaw for fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia is a chronic disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, sleep disturbances, and cognitive difficulties,

They kept a scheduled appointment at 6 p.m. on April 1, 2009. The complainant was the last patient of the day, and was alone in the office with Henshaw. The victim alleges treatment proceeded as usual until he handed them a towel and asked them to remove their shirt and bra so he could work on their shoulder. The victim complied, thinking they would remain partially covered with the towel.

The complainant alleged Henshaw began massaging their arms to the shoulder joints, then slipped his hands down their torso and started massaging their chest and breast area, the document states. After some period of time, he said that they could get dressed, and he left the treatment room.

The victim claimed they were shocked and upset by what had happened. They did not confront Henshaw at the time but discontinued treatment soon thereafter.

Eight days after the office visit, the victim filed a disciplinary complaint with the Board of Chiropractic Examiners, according to the document. On the same day, they gave a sworn statement to the Macon County Sheriff’s Department, which resulted in the filing of a criminal warrant against Dr. Henshaw alleging sexual battery. The complainant also retained an attorney and filed a civil suit for monetary damages against Henshaw.

Henshaw entered a plea deal on Jan. 11, 2010, pleading guilty to a reduced charge of assault on a female, which is a misdemeanor in North Carolina.

Henshaw’s plea was accepted by the Macon County Superior Court, and he received a fine of $200 and a fully probationary sentence, according to the document. The court imposed two special conditions of probation, as follows:

That Henshaw not assault, threaten, harass, be found in or on the premises or workplace of, or have any contact with the victim and that Henshaw not perform any other related procedure on any other female patients without written permission, and that he not violate any laws of state or federal government.

The document states that Henshaw denied that he engaged in any lewd or immoral conduct, sexual battery, or assault with the victim. In addition to being a licensed chiropractor, at all relevant times Henshaw was also a licensed massage and bodywork therapist and he claims there were clinical massage and body work therapy and/or chiropractic indications for the treatment he performed and that the victim consented to such treatment.

Nevertheless, in an effort to conclude the matter without further delay, hearings or proceedings in criminal court or before the Board of Chiropractic Examiners, he pleaded guilty to assault on a female and was willing to enter into the below consent order.

North Carolina law states that lewd or immoral conduct towards a patient is grounds for disciplinary action by the Board.

Massaging the breasts of a female patient under a pretext of providing chiropractic treatment for fibromyalgia would constitute lewd or immoral conduct.

Under the Chiropractic Disciplinary Guidelines used by the Board at the time of the complaint, lewd or immoral conduct towards a patient falls within the “Serious” category of disciplinary violations. The presumptive sanctions for that category, when neither aggravating nor mitigating factors predominate, range from probation upon specified terms and conditions to one-year license suspension. Probation may also be added to license suspension.

Part III of the Chiropractic Disciplinary Guidelines sets forth numerous aggravating and mitigating factors commonly considered by the Board in selection sanctions. Pursuant to Part III, the Board found as follows:

The aggravating factor present in Dr. Henshaw’s case is: he violated the victim’s trust or preyed upon the victim’s vulnerability.

The mitigating factors present in Dr. Henshaw’s case are that he had no recent history of disciplinary violations, he has exhibited remorse; and his conduct had been addressed by the criminal justice system.

The Board ordered that Henshaw’s license to practice chiropractic in North Carolina be suspended for 90 consecutive days.

At the conclusion of the term of active suspension, it was ordered that Henshaw’s license be restored and he would be placed on probation for a period of three years upon the following terms and conditions:

That he not touch, massage or purport to treat the breasts of any female patient, that he not examine or treat any female patient without a chiropractic assistant either being present in the same room or present on the premises with the door to the examination/treatment room open, and that within six months after the entry of the decision, he take and pass the Examination in Ethics and Boundaries given by the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners.

The document is signed by Dr. Randy Schilsky, president of the Board at the time, Henshaw, and Dr. John Webster, secretary of the Board at the time. It was ratified on May 22, 2010.