State evokes licenses of Bellevue chiropractor

The state has revoked the medical licenses of a Bellevue chiropractor linked to the leader of a controversial church in Central Washington.

A health department commission revoked chiropractic and naturopathic licenses of Dr. Barbara Loran after investigating charges that she and her companion, James King, had sex with a 17-year-old girl who came to Loran as a patient. Loran lost her licenses after she failed to respond to the charges or show up for a prehearing conference, following suspension of her licenses in May.

For more than 10 years, King has led the New Gnostic Church, based in Okanogan County. Church members characterize the 100-member church as a
cult. They have accused King of brainwashing them and others. Health officials also charged Loran with allowing King to practice chiropractic at her office without a license. The department issued a temporary cease-and-desist order for King's alleged illegal practice and fined him $10,000. Loran, 44, owned a clinic called Endless Health Northwest in Factoria.

She, King and King's wife also have been named in a civil lawsuit brought by the victim and her father. The suit accuses Loran and King of assault,
battery and negligence. The father, his wife and their daughter spoke openly to the Seattle Weekly about their involvement in King's cult and experiences at Loran's
clinic, Endless Health Northwest at 4317 Factoria Blvd. S.E. They said they suspected for weeks something was going on between their daughter and King. The daughter said she finally admitted to her parents that she had been having sex with King and Loran at Loran's Bellevue apartment since November.

The teenager said she believes King started grooming her for sex since she joined his church, when she was 13. Dan Donohoe, spokesman for the King County Prosecutor, said Loran and King have come under investigation by the King County Sheriff's Office, and prosecutors are reviewing the case.

A decision on any possible criminal charges could take several more weeks, he said.