Benton County chiropractor again faces state discipline

A Benton County chiropractor once again faces possible discipline from state health officials after allegedly violating the terms of his reinstatement.

Jeffrey A. Sullivan — whose credential was suspended for several years after he pleaded guilty a decade ago to communicating with a minor for immoral purposes — now faces an unprofessional conduct charge from the state Chiropractic Quality Assurance Commission.

Sullivan has 20 days to respond. He couldn’t be reached Wednesday for comment.

Charges from the commission aren’t criminal.

The commission said Sullivan didn’t follow some of the conditions of his 2016 reinstatement, including documenting that a commission-approved female assistant was on hand when he treated female patients. Some chart notes weren’t initialed by an assistant, showing she was present during treatment, health department documents said.

Sullivan also allegedly invited a woman to his office via Facebook and treated her there with no one else present, documents said.

Sullivan’s credential was suspended after he was accused of inappropriate contact with a preteen girl. He was convicted in August 2008 of communicating with a minor for immoral purposes, a gross misdemeanor, and was sentenced to two months in jail and sex offender treatment.

In 2016, he was allowed to practice again on probation, with several conditions, including that for at least three years he not treat minor patients and that an approved female assistant be within eyeshot when he treated adult female patients.