Bellevue chiropractor's license pulled

Seattle Times/May 28, 2005
By Ashley Bach

State health officials have suspended a Bellevue chiropractor's license following allegations that she had sex with two patients, including a teenage girl.

Barbara Loran, 44, also allegedly allowed her boyfriend, James King, 48, to participate in sex with the patients and to perform chiropractic procedures on several patients, even though he is not a licensed chiropractor, according to the state Department of Health's charges of unprofessional conduct.

Loran could not be reached for comment. An answering-machine message at her clinic said she had lost her lease, and referred patients to another clinic nearby.

The state on Thursday also suspended Loran's license as a naturopath. The Health Department alleges she kept incomplete documents and shared some confidential patient information with King, according to the state charges.

Loran also is accused of allowing King to perform an unorthodox procedure on patients, in which he inserted a balloon into nasal passages and inflated it in an effort to change the patient's bone structure, state officials said.

State officials ordered King to stop all medical practices.

In January, the Seattle father of the teenager filed for a protection order against the couple on behalf of his daughter, alleging the couple had "immoral communication" with her for the past few years.

On May 13, the father filed a lawsuit against King and Loran.

State health officials began investigating King and Loran three months ago, after receiving a complaint.

The King County Sheriff's Office also recently wrapped up a three-month investigation of the couple, and King County prosecutors will make a decision on criminal charges in the next couple weeks, said Dan Donohoe, spokesman for the Prosecutor's Office.

Before her suspension, Loran already had closed her clinic, called Endless Health Northwest, in the Factoria neighborhood.

"This is pretty egregious conduct," Lisa Noonan, naturopathic program manager for the state Health Department, said of the charges.

Loran and King have 20 days to respond to the Health Department charges and schedule a hearing or try to negotiate a settlement.

King is the founder of the New Gnostic Church, a religious group, and Loran is a member, Noonan said. King lives in Wauconda, Okanogan County.

The teenager and her parents are former members of the group, law-enforcement officials said.