By Kevin Deutsch
Coral Springs gastroenterologist Stewart Bitman has been sentenced to 18 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to sexually enticing children, court records show.
Bitman, 65, of Parkland, had faced life in prison after authorities said he exchanged sexually explicit materials with underage girls during online chats.
He originally faced nine federal charges: four counts of enticement of a minor; two counts of production of child pornography; one count of attempted production of child pornography; and two counts of receipt of child pornography.
The doctor initially pleaded not guilty to the charges but later pleaded guilty to the four counts of enticement of a minor, leading to his sentencing on June 24, according to the federal documents.
Once Bitman’s prison term is completed, he must remain under supervised release for ten years, records show.
Authorities have recommended he serve his prison time at a correctional facility in Devens, Massachusetts.
According to the Broward Sheriff’s Office, authorities first arrested Bitman in January 2021 for allegedly sending sexual text messages and nude photos of himself to a 13-year-old child.
Authorities said he was arrested again in June for allegedly exchanging sexually explicit Snapchat messages, photographs, and videos with underage girls.
After being served with a search warrant, Snapchat provided authorities with the contents of Bitman’s account. The files contained chat conversations that Bitman conducted with hundreds of people who identified themselves as minor children, authorities said.
Bitman sometimes received sexually explicit images or videos from the minors in exchange for promises of money, which they never received, court records show.
After investigators seized his digital records, Bitman admitted messaging with kids but called his activities “just fantasy,” the records show.
State prosecutors initially pursued a case against Bitman, but the case was moved to federal court when new details emerged.
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Author Profile
- Kevin Deutsch is an award-winning crime journalist and author. A graduate of Florida International University, Kevin has worked on staff at The Miami Herald, New York Daily News, and The Palm Beach Post.
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