Larry Nelson during his arraignment for sexual exploitation charges. | Kaitlyn Hart, EastIdahoNews.com
The following story contains descriptions of a graphic nature. Discretion is advised.
IDAHO FALLS — A local chiropractor appeared in front of a judge Tuesday after being charged with allegedly sexually exploiting a patient.
Larry Nelson, 61, is charged with three counts of misdemeanor sexual exploitation by a medical care provider. He pleaded not guilty to all charges on May 15.
Nelson appeared in court for his arraignment on Tuesday, where a no-contact order was ordered for the victim in the case.
RELATED | Local chiropractor accused of sexual misconduct with patients says treatment is not sexual
He is expected to appear in court for a status conference on June 17.
According to his LinkedIn profile, Nelson is the owner of Eastern Idaho Chiropractic & Acupuncture in Idaho Falls.
Many of the court documents are sealed, so there is little detail on the case, but a criminal complaint states that Nelson “did engage in an act of sexual contact with the intimate parts of a client.”
The document says Nelson touched “an intimate part of (the victim), for the purpose of arousing, appealing to gratify the lust, passion or sexual arousal of the defendant, and/or the touching of the intimate part was outside the scope of treatment by touching her breasts, groin and/or vagina.”
The complaint alleges this happened at least three times with the same victim in December, January, and March.
In 2020, a complaint was filed against Nelson with the Idaho State Board of Chiropractic Physicians, alleging he inappropriately touched a patient (not the same one as the criminal complaint) while performing an “intervaginal coccyx adjustment.” Due to the sealing of the criminal complaint, it’s unclear if the criminal charges are related to intervaginal coccyx adjustments.
According to the Idaho State Board of Chiropractic Physicians, Nelson was ordered to stop performing this treatment and his license was put on probation for two years due to “any behavior such as gestures, expressions, and statements that are sexually suggestive or demeaning to a patient or that demonstrate a lack of respect for the patient’s privacy.”
A number of women have also reached out to EastIdahoNews.com since our first story on Nelson, claiming they also experienced alleged inappropriate conduct.
There is some question regarding the legitimacy of an intervaginal coccyx adjustment. Several local chiropractors have reached out and expressed concern it is not a sanctioned or appropriate chiropractic procedure. Although, Nelson in an interview with EastIdahoNews.com, maintained his procedures are not sexual and are real treatments rendered in naturopathic care.
We have reached out to the Idaho State Board of Chiropractic Physicians, who stated that the treatment is not illegal in Idaho, but that they have never been asked to rule on its legitimacy.
We also reached out to the Idaho Association of Chiropractic Physicians for more information about the practice, but have not yet heard back.
If convicted on all counts, he could face up to three years in prison and further action on his chiropractic license by the Idaho State Board of Chiropractic Physicians.
Though Nelson has been charged with these crimes, it does not necessarily mean he committed them. Everyone is presumed innocent until they are proven guilty.
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