WILMINGTON — Things have been quiet for several months since a Wilmington-based oral surgeon facing sexual assault charges was re-arrested at his Wrightsville Beach residence for allegedly assaulting a female.
Michael Lee Hasson was first arrested on January 31, 2019, after the Wilmington Police Department (WPD) investigated allegations that he sexually assaulted his patients, including those under anesthesia, for over a year. Hasson is facing at least 30 charges, including several counts of felony indecent liberties with a child, over a dozen counts of sexual battery, one count of statutory rape, and numerous felony second-degree forcible sex offenses. According to WPD, the first complaint was received in October of 2017, but alleged offenses took place between 2009 and 2018.
On July 8, Hasson was arrested by Wrightsville Beach police at his residence, where he was under a court-ordered house “lockdown.”
According to Captain Jason Bishop: “Officers were dispatched to Station One Condos in reference to a possible domestic disturbance. When they arrived they noticed the unit was in disarray and there was damaged furniture. The officers interviewed both the male and female and determined that Mr. Hasson was the aggressor. He was taken into custody without further incident. He was held on no bond and had a first appearance yesterday.”
The officer narrative was redacted from the incident report provided by WBPD; the report did indicate that Hasson had been drinking when he allegedly assaulted a woman identified as his current or former girlfriend.
The New Hanover County District Attorney’s office ultimately dismissed the assault on a female charges resulting from the Wrightsville Beach incident on August 27 because the victim declined to prosecute.
The sexual assault charges against Hasson are still pending and he remains under house arrest. Under the terms of his lockdown, Hasson is being supervised by the court’s pretrial release office. Hasson is allowed to leave the house for work, but the order prohibits him from seeing patients or providing dental care.
Hasson’s next court date is October 21, however, it is in administrative court. These court dates allow attorneys and prosecutors to discuss the case, if needed, but are not used for substantial proceedings like plea hearings.
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