A Platte City family practice physician has been charged with statutory sodomy on a child less than 14 years of age.
Jonathan Philippe, 41, was released from the Platte County Detention Center on $100,000 cash bond. Philippe is due back in court before judge Ann Hansbrough on May 26. Although a bond reduction request had been filed due to the COVID-19 court orders, the bond was posted in full on April 10.
Philippe was previously employed at the St. Luke's Primary Care Clinic in Platte City and by Mosaic Lifecare.
According to court documents, a Platte County deputy responded to a residence in Platte City on Friday, April 3 to investigate a reported sexual molestation on a child. The victim and other members of another family are staying with the Philippe family. The group are from Haiti and attend the same church.
A minor was noticed with a twenty dollar bill and when asked said it was from Philippe for “passing his test. When she was questioned, the minor admitted she was given the money after Philippe performed sexual acts on her. At least two conversations regarding the molestation were recorded and the victim and another person in the home “tried to devise a plan to catch Jonathan in the act, fearing no one would believe them if they came to the police for Jonathan is a respected man and doctor in the area.”
Photographs of evidence were taken and recordings sent to the Sheriff's Office. The victim was moved out of the house and to a shelter, where during interviews she admitted she was 12-13 years old when she was first sexually abused. The victim said she repeated told Philippe “no,” before and during their encounters.
Another resident of the home reportedly told the victim that if she told police what was going on “she was going to ruin a lot of lives.”
Philippe was working in Bethany, Mo. on April 3 when police attempted to call him. The detective drove to Bethany to speak to the suspect, but Philippe said he would like to consult his attorney.
Police said in the report that due to Philippe's position as a traveling doctor with ties to Haiti make him a flight risk. Particularly, his work with a Haitian orphanage could put him in position to prey upon other children.