Oral surgeon faces more sex charges

WILMINGTON -- A Wilmington oral surgeon accused of sexually abusing patients while they were under anesthesia has been charged with more than a dozen additional offenses.

Michael Lee Hasson, 55, was arrested again Wednesday by members of the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Taskforce with the Wilmington Police Department, according to a news release. The release states that Hasson has been charged with 13 more crimes: seven counts of sexual battery, three counts of indecent liberties with a child, two counts of second-degree sex offense and one count statutory sex offense.

Those are in addition to the four charges he already faced after being arrested Jan. 31: three counts of sexual battery and one count second-degree forcible sex offense.

Police say that Hasson, an oral surgeon at Wilmington Oral Surgery on Floral Parkway, is accused of sexually abusing several of his female patients between 2009 and 2018.

When Hasson was first arrested, police said his known victims ranged in age between 17 and 21 years. The ages of any additional victims were not listed in Wednesday's news release.

Hasson received a $1 million bail and is currently being held at the New Hanover County Jail.

After Hasson's first arrest, he was booked into the jail on $1.25 million's bail. Wilmington Police Spokeswoman Jennifer Dandron said that bail was reduced after Hasson made his first court appearance.

"WPD is asking anyone who has contacted the police regarding Hasson but has not received a call back from a detective to please call again at 910-343-3609," the release states.

The N.C. State Board of Dental Examiners suspended Hasson's license and anesthesia permit Feb. 6.

"Based on the information received, the Board finds and concludes that the public health, safety, or welfare require emergency action and the summary supension of Respondent's license and general anesthesia permit," the order reads. "Therefore, Respodent shall immediately cease the practice of dentistry in North Carolina."

Wilmington Oral Surgery remained closed Wednesday. There was no note on the door, but a message on the clinic's answering machine informed patients, "Our office is temporarily closed."

Reporter Cammie Bellamy can be reached at Cammie.Bellamy@StarNewsOnline.com.