A Pacific Beach man who worked as an orderly for Sharp Mesa Vista Hospital was sentenced to six months in custody July 14 after pleading guilty to three counts of sexual activity with a person confined to a health facility.
Shane Michael Cochran, 36, was also sentenced to five years of formal probation, and ordered him to make victim restitution as requested, to register as a sex offender for five years, and to undergo GPS monitoring and counseling and treatment for sex and drug abuse as directed by his probation officer. He will also pay fines and fees of $1,503.
Cochran’s victim was a 20-year-old woman who was undergoing involuntary mental-health treatment for psychosis when the offenses took place in October 2014.
Deputy City Attorney Miriam Milstein said Cochran’s conduct has had a significant impact on his victim, who no longer trusts the medical professionals seeking to help her. “He did an incredibly frightening and predatory thing to her,” Milstein said.
Cochrane showed premeditation in his acts, which occurred over several weeks, Judge Lisa R. Rodriguez said.
“This was a deliberate attempt to take advantage of a patient who was not in any capacity to take care of herself in any way,” she said.