A prominent Ohio urologist with more than three decades of practice has been arrested and charged with raping a developmentally disabled patient during an appointment at his office, authorities said Thursday.
Dr. Michael Russo, 63, a celebrated physician with the Urology Group in Clermont County, east of Cincinnati, was taken into custody on August 4 by Union Township police and booked on charges of rape, sexual battery, and gross sexual imposition. The alleged assault occurred on April 20, 2026, prosecutors say.
The victim, a male patient with a diagnosed mental condition that substantially impairs his ability to consent, was at Russo’s office for a routine urology appointment. According to a criminal complaint, the patient told investigators that Russo asked him to perform oral 𝒔𝒆𝒙, 𝓮𝔁𝓹𝓸𝓼𝓮𝓭 himself, and began masturbating before engaging in the act.
The victim, who is a client of the Brown County Board of Developmental Disabilities, first reported the incident to the agency on April 24. The agency then notified police, launching an investigation that would span months.
Prosecutors allege that Russo exploited a position of trust. “The victim alleged that during his appointment, Russo asked the victim to perform oral 𝒔𝒆𝒙 on him, 𝓮𝔁𝓹𝓸𝓼𝓮𝓭 his private part, and began masturbating,” the complaint states.
The case took a significant turn on July 30, when Ohio Medical Board investigator Joshua Doll interviewed Russo. During that meeting, Russo admitted to engaging in an embrace and a kiss with the victim that caused him to become sexually aroused, according to the complaint.
Russo told Doll that his private part was 𝓮𝔁𝓹𝓸𝓼𝓮𝓭 to the victim and that the victim performed oral 𝒔𝒆𝒙 on him. After the act ended, Russo allegedly told the patient, “This has to be between you and me.”
The doctor described the incident as a “lack of judgment,” according to investigators.
On August 3, the victim returned for a second interview, providing additional details. He said Russo initiated a hug followed by a kiss, then asked for oral 𝒔𝒆𝒙. The victim confirmed that Russo 𝓮𝔁𝓹𝓸𝓼𝓮𝓭 himself and masturbated before the sexual act.
The complaint notes that the victim “was and is substantially impaired because of a diagnosed mental condition.”
The following day, police arrested Russo at his home. He was processed at the Clermont County jail, where he was photographed in a mug shot both with and without his glasses. He was treated like any other inmate, handcuffed, searched, and required to remove his shoes.
Russo appeared in court the morning after his arrest. His attorney, John O’Shea, argued for a reasonable bond, noting his client’s long history in the community. “My client’s 63 years old.
He’s lived in Cincinnati since 1990. He has family here. He’s cooperated when he was detained.
He engaged counsel. He’s got no prior convictions. There’s no indication that he will not appear before the court,” O’Shea said.
The prosecutor, however, pushed for a $2 million bond, citing the disturbing nature of the allegations and concerns about Russo’s mental state after a jail call to his wife. “The allegations here are extremely disturbing. The defendant is a medical doctor, a urologist with an office in Clermont County, Ohio.
As one of his patients, he saw the alleged victim in this case who is a developmentally delayed individual,” the prosecutor said.
The prosecutor added that the victim “drew pictures to try to help describe what went on” in the appointment, underscoring the severity of the developmental delay.
During the bond hearing, the prosecutor revealed that Russo had made a jail call to his wife expressing concerns about his own well-being. “The wife said to him on this jail call, ‘Don’t hurt yourself.’ The defendant made comments that were consistent with the notion that he had thought about it,” the prosecutor said.
Judge Garber set bond at $1 million, ordered Russo to surrender his passport, and required him to wear a GPS monitor. The judge acknowledged the seriousness of the allegations and the potential flight risk, as well as the concern that Russo might harm himself.
Russo posted bail and was released. The next day, a grand jury indicted him on felony charges of rape, sexual battery, and gross sexual imposition.
The Clermont County Prosecutor’s Office issued a statement: “The Clermont County Prosecutor’s Office, along with the Union Township Police Department, will not stand for a doctor violating the most sacred trust of his victim. This case is even more egregious as the defendant knowingly took advantage of someone that could not resist his advances.”
Russo’s attorney, John O’Shea, declined to comment when reached by Crime Feed.
The Urology Group, where Russo had worked for years, had previously celebrated him on social media, highlighting his work as a surgeon and his presentations on urology. By the time of his arrest, Russo had already left the practice, according to his attorney.
The timeline of the investigation has raised questions. The incident occurred on April 20, but the medical board interview did not take place until July 30, more than three months later. Criminal defense attorney Jay Clark, who is not involved in the case, noted the unusual delay.
“If I did the math, April to May, May to June, June to July, almost a 90-day delay. Had they gone and tried to contact him April 25th, 26th, whatever, this might have been taken care of 90 days ago in terms of filing charges,” Clark said during an analysis on Crime Feed.
Clark added that the delay allowed Russo to continue practicing medicine for months after the complaint was filed. “Given the nature of his occupation, speed makes time a little more of an issue when you get a complaint like this. This guy works with people naked from the waist down predominantly,” Clark said.
Despite the delay, Clark noted that the admission Russo made to the medical board investigator is a powerful piece of evidence. “If everything in the affidavit is accurate as written, that’s a bad fact. You really don’t want your clients to make admissions to anybody.
On the other side, if you’re representing the doctor, that can also be somewhat mitigating – that he didn’t deny, he took responsibility, admitted what happened,” Clark said.
The prosecutor’s office is urging any other potential victims of Dr. Russo to come forward. “If there are other victims, they should call the police,” the prosecutor said during the bond hearing.
Russo’s medical license remains active, according to the Ohio Medical Board, which has opened its own investigation.
A court date for Russo to enter a plea has not yet been scheduled.
The case has sent shockwaves through the community, where Russo was known as a respected physician. The Urology Group has not commented publicly on the arrest.
For now, Dr. Michael Russo, once celebrated for his surgical skills and educational presentations, faces a potential life sentence if convicted of rape. The Clermont County jail mug shot shows a man who has traded his white coat for an orange jumpsuit, accused of violating the most vulnerable of patients.
The investigation continues, and the public is urged to contact Union Township Police Department with any information.
