Doctor loses license for sexual misconduct

SPARTANBURG, S.C., Nov. 5 (UPI) -- A South Carolina plastic surgeon lost his license and was fined $25,000 for sexual and other medical misconduct, the state board of medical examiners said.

Thomas Luther Roberts III, 63, of Spartanburg also was publicly reprimanded and must meet a number of conditions to regain his license, The (Columbia) State reported Thursday.

Roberts allegedly engaged in sexual misconduct with certain patients, left the operating room during surgery with others, falsified medical records, had nurses perform procedures he should have done and touched female patients without protective gloves, the licensing board said.

Roberts, who apologized for his actions, went to a clinic in Atlanta to be examined as one of the required conditions for getting back his license. He was found to likely have a disorder called "excessive daytime sleepiness" and other occupational problems, including sexual misconduct, the newspaper reported.

The board's order requires Roberts to go to bed nightly by 10 p.m. He must also drink no more than a half-glass of alcohol per day and submit to lie detector tests.