A once prominent orthopedic surgeon has been sentenced to prison, a decade after 25 Investigates first reported allegations of sexual misconduct against him.
James DeVellis, a former orthopedic surgeon, was sentenced Monday in Woburn to 7 to 10 years in prison, followed by five years of probation, after being convicted of raping a young man who was a family friend.
He entered the courtroom Monday afternoon as a convicted felon.
The survivor of the abuse delivered an impact statement in court, describing how his trust was broken and the long-term toll of the assault. Boston 25 does not identify victims of sexual abuse.
“Jim once told my parents that me and my brothers were like the sons he never had,” he told the court. “I think this trauma will carry into future relationships into marriage and into parenthood. It will affect the way I teach my own children about trust and safety.”
Prosecutors said the assault happened in 2020 at DeVellis’s Lexington home, where he gave the then-21-year-old alcohol and assaulted him while he was unconscious.
25 Investigates first reported on allegations against DeVellis in 2016, uncovering patient complaints of sexual misconduct during exams and procedures filed with the state medical board. Months later, Devellis surrendered his medical license.
He was never criminally charged in connection with those patient allegations.
Prosecutors previously said they could not move forward because of a legal loophole in Massachusetts law, in which patients were considered to have consented to procedures they believed were medically necessary, shielding providers.
When DeVellis assaulted the young man in his home, he could no longer rely on that legal protection.
The abuse survivor told the court he tried to keep what happened to him secret until his brother disclosed the same thing happened to him at the hands of the same man. Though DeVellis only faced charges in one case, the brother’s testimony and that of another alleged victim from 2016 were allowed at trial.
The defense team notified the court it planned to file an appeal of the conviction. They presented the court with written testimony that described DeVellis as a generous man who cared for various family members.
In addition to prison and probation, Devellis must enter a sex offender treatment program upon release and wear a GPS monitor for at least three years.
Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.
Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
©2026 Cox Media Group
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/7QOJU3BNCJERBNKJC5LWTBYFLU.png)
