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Photo: The City Hall building of West Linn, OR, where disgraced former doctor, David Farley maintained a practice before allegations of sexual abuse emerged; via Wikipedia.
Oregon Public Broadcasting’s Holly Bartholomew reported Friday that five years after the first women came forward with allegations against longtime Oregon family physician David Farley, the former doctor has now been criminally charged in connection with alleged abuse of multiple patients.
Farley, 67, appeared virtually in Clackamas County Circuit Court after turning himself in on Friday. He faces 11 felony counts, including four counts of first-degree sexual abuse, five counts of second-degree sexual abuse, one count of first-degree unlawful sexual penetration, and one count of second-degree unlawful sexual penetration. The charges involve three former patients.
Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield, whose office is leading the prosecution, said the case represents long-awaited accountability. “Survivors and their families have shown remarkable courage throughout this process,” Rayfield said. “This indictment reflects our commitment to justice. Our focus now — and always — is on the people whose lives were upended by this abuse.”
Farley pleaded not guilty through his attorney and is being held on $500,000 bail.
A History of Allegations and Institutional Failures
Farley practiced medicine in Clackamas County for more than 30 years, including at Providence Willamette Falls Medical Center, Legacy Meridian Park Hospital, and his own practice, West Linn Family Health Clinic. He was also a prominent leader in his local Latter-day Saint (LDS) congregation, where prosecutors allege he met several of the patients who later reported abuse.
In 2020, Farley retired abruptly and surrendered his medical license to the Oregon Medical Board after investigators found he had engaged in sexual misconduct and taken inappropriate photographs of underage patients.
Later that year, four women reported to West Linn Police that Farley had violated their trust by disguising misconduct as legitimate medical care. In the months that followed, more than 150 additional women and girls came forward with similar allegations, eventually totaling nearly 200 reports.
Despite the volume of complaints, a 2022 Clackamas County grand jury declined to issue any criminal charges. The decision was widely criticized by survivors, who accused the West Linn Police Department and the Clackamas County District Attorney’s Office of mishandling the case and failing to take their accounts seriously.
State Intervention After Local Inaction
Following mounting public pressure and media scrutiny, then–Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum opened a state-level criminal investigation into Farley’s conduct in 2022, which was later continued by Rayfield when he took office.
According to prosecutors, the 11 new charges are tied to three patients:
- One case involves alleged misconduct from 2016, including multiple counts of first- and second-degree sexual abuse.
- Another involves alleged abuse of a girl under 14 in 2009 and 2011.
- A third case involves three separate instances of second-degree abuse between 2019 and 2020.
These criminal charges represent only a fraction of the broader allegations. Farley and several Oregon healthcare institutions are also named in a civil lawsuit seeking nearly $1 billion in damages on behalf of 180 former patients.
Survivors Speak Out
For survivors, Friday’s arraignment marked a turning point after years of frustration.
“When I was assaulted, I thought I was alone. I thought I had misread things,” said Katie Medley, one of the first patients to report Farley to police. “My faith in our justice system was tried over the years. But my sister survivors and I never stopped speaking out, and now we have been vindicated.”
Another early survivor, Lisa Pratt, described the legal progress as “a very long road.” She credited the Attorney General’s team for treating survivors with compassion and thoroughness: “Their hard work got this dangerous predator off the streets.”
Attorneys representing the survivors echoed those sentiments. “Their five-year fight to hold Farley accountable is nothing short of heroic,” lawyers Courtney Thom and Tom D’Amore said in a joint statement. “We look forward to seeing Farley brought to trial and punished for his crimes.”
Past Investigation Under Scrutiny
A 2024 independent report commissioned by the City of West Linn found significant failures in the original police investigation, including:
- Missing files and unrecorded victim interviews
- Failure to seize Farley’s phone, despite evidence it contained photos of minors
- Inadequate training of detectives handling sexual abuse cases
- Lack of required victim advocates during interviews
Text messages obtained through public records requests revealed prosecutors and sheriff’s deputies privately described the lead detective as “incompetent” and “non-empathetic.” That detective later retired in 2023.
Although the District Attorney’s Office maintained that its actions were appropriate, the Oregon Department of Justice has since taken over criminal proceedings entirely.
Looking Ahead
Judge Ann Lininger ordered that if Farley posts bail—requiring $50,000 upfront—he will remain under strict supervision and may not contact the three identified victims. His next court appearance is set for November 5, with trial tentatively scheduled for December 3.
However, the court did not extend a no-contact order to the approximately 180 women and girls involved in the ongoing civil case. That decision has been criticized by many survivors rights advocates because of the wider scope of potential harm.
A Case With Broader Implications
Farley’s dual role as a physician and religious leader has amplified concerns about institutional accountability within both healthcare systems and religious organizations. Many survivors say the doctor’s standing in the LDS community helped him avoid scrutiny for years.
The outcome of Farley’s criminal trial—and the massive civil lawsuit still pending—could have ripple effects for how Oregon and other states handle professional and religious misconduct involving trusted community figures.
As one survivor put it, “We can’t change what happened to us, but we can make sure no one else is ever ignored again.”
Are You A Survivor of Sexual Abuse or Assault That Occurred in Oregon?
If you were harmed by someone in an institutional setting such as a medical facility or church, you still have rights, even if the experience happened many years ago. Survivors are coming forward to hold abusers and institutions accountable. Visit our Oregon Sexual Abuse Attorney Guide to learn how to take the next step toward justice and healing.
For more coverage:
Subpoena Fight Brings LDS Church Into Lawsuit Over Dr. David Farley, Oregon Doctor Accused of Abuse
New Revelations Show LDS Church’s Deepening Ties to Sexual Abuse Scandals in Oregon
LDS Sexual Abuse Lawsuit Guide – Legal Help for Survivors
Dr. David Farley Sexual Abuse Lawsuit: LDS Church Accused of Protecting A Predator
