Emmy-Winning Dr. Bruce Hensel, Charged with Soliciting Sexually-Suggestive Photos from 9-Yr-Old Girl
Photo: Dr. Bruce Martin Hensel
LOS ANGELES – Radio and TV personality, Dr. Bruce Martin Hensel (71) (aka “Dr. Bruce”) of Pacific Palisades, faces a possible maximum sentence of 18 months in state prison.
The multiple Emmy-winning doctor is charged with requesting sexually-suggestive images from the 9-year-old daughter of an acquaintance. He faces one felony count of contact with a minor for sexual purposes.
The chief medical correspondent for Los Angeles television station KNBC served for nearly 30 years, reporting on medical issues and answering viewer questions via the “Ask Dr. Bruce” segment. The “producer, director, journalist, author and physician won 12 Emmys and 2 Golden Mikes as the On-Air Chief Medical Correspondent and Producer/Host for NBC in Los Angeles and New York,” according to his own bio.
The doctor “hosted, wrote, and produced many specials and health series for the stations. He is the Co-Executive Producer and Co-Director of the documentary entitled “Beyond The Opposite Sex”. This is his third such film: he was also Executive Producer of Rene’s Story and Jamie’s Story.”
Additionally, Dr. Hensel “was one of the founders of drkoop; the first Internet Health site run by the former Surgeon General-and was on the Congressional Committee for Ethics in the internet.”
Dr. Bruce had made his photos-request to the 9-year-old through a messaging app on or about Aug. 4th, according to the L.A. District Attorney’s prosecutor.
Deputy District Attorney Angela Brunson of the Cyber Crime Division said Bruce Martin Hensel (dob 5/12/48)” faces one felony count of contact with minor for sexual purposes.”
The Los Angeles Police Department, Juvenile Division Internet Crimes Against Children Regional Task Force is conducting the ongoing investigation.
Dr. Bruce was arrested on 10/13/19 at 10:15 a.m. in the 9600 block of Santa Monica Boulevard and was held at the LA County Jail on $5,000 bail.
Arraignment for Case BA482562 will be scheduled at a later date.
Case BA482562 remains under investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department, Juvenile Division Internet Crimes Against Children Regional Task Force.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Jackie Lacey leads the largest local prosecutorial office in the nation. Her staff of nearly 1,000 attorneys, 300 investigators and 800 support staff members is dedicated to protecting the community through the fair and ethical pursuit of justice and the safeguarding of crime victims’ rights.
