DR. JOHNNIE BARTO SEXUAL ABUSE LAWSUITS

Fighting for Survivors Abused by Dr. Johnnie Barto

Dr. Johnnie Barto, a former Pennsylvania pediatrician, was convicted in 2019 for sexually abusing 31 children over several decades while practicing in Johnstown.

Conemaugh Health System and Laurel Pediatrics face civil lawsuits alleging they failed to investigate complaints against Dr. Barto and protect children in their care. 

Most of his victims were between ages 8–12. He was found guilty of 69 counts of sexual assault and child endangerment, and sentenced to 158 years in prison without parole.

Authorities were first alerted to Dr. Barto’s alleged misconduct in 2020 when administrative charges were filed accusing him of molesting two young girls in the 1990s. He lost his medical license temporarily. After resuming practice, he allegedly molested at least a dozen more patients before his 2018 arrest. 

The medical facilities where he worked may face significant legal consequences for their alleged failure to properly investigate complaints, supervise, and prevent the sexual abuse of patients in their care.

If you or a loved one was harmed by Dr. Barto, contact us today.

History of Dr. Johnnie Barto’s Sexual Abuse

Dr. Johnnie Barto practiced as a pediatrician for over 40 years. He started his medical career in the 1970s and continued until his arrest in 2018. During this time, he used his position to abuse many of his young patients, with allegations spanning most of his career.

Details of Dr. Johnnie Barto’s sexual abuse include:

• In May 2026, a settlement was reached in a lawsuit filed against Dr. Johnnie Barto and his former workplaces, alleging they endangered children, intentionally inflicted emotional distress, and misrepresented facts.
• On March 19, 2019, five former patients sued Dr. Johnnie Barto, Conemaugh Health Systems, and Laurel Pediatrics, alleging Dr. Barto sexually abused them during exams at Laurel Pediatric Clinic. The victims, aged 8-16, claimed the institutions failed to investigate complaints, supervise Dr. Barto, and protect the children he abused.
• On March 18, 2019, Dr. Barto received a sentence of 158 years in prison for the sexual assault of 31 children. He was found guilty on 69 counts, including aggravated indecent assault, indecent assault, and endangering the welfare of children.
• In March 2018, Dr. Barto faced more charges after a 29-year-old woman’s allegations that the doctor had molested her in 2002, when she was 14 years old and asleep on a couch at his residence.

Consequently, the Attorney General made a public plea for potential victims to come forward, leading to a surge of 69 additional allegations of molestation against Dr. Barto. As a result, additional charges were subsequently filed against him.

• On January 2018, Dr. Barto was arrested and charged with two counts of indecent assault, as well as one count each of corruption of minors and endangering the welfare of a child, stemming from the alleged incident on December 21, 2017.
• On December 2017, Dr. Barto was accused of inappropriately touching a 12-year-old patient at Laurel Pediatrics. The patient reported to her mother that following an examination, Dr. Barto allegedly had her sit on his lap and molested her.
• In 2020, during an administrative hearing, the Pennsylvania Board of Medicine was deeply impacted by the testimony of Dr. Barto’s alleged victims. The hearing examiner deemed their accounts credible and consistent, ultimately concluding that Dr. Barto had sexually assaulted two young patients and grossly abused his professional position. Consequently, the Board revoked Dr. Barto’s medical license. 

Dr. Barto appealed the decision, and in a 7-2 vote, the Board of Medicine overturned the revocation of his license, finding the allegations inconsistent with his professional reputation. The Laurel County community rallied around him, hosting a supportive gathering at a local restaurant where Dr. Barto denied the allegations. Residents also showed their support by wearing ribbons at a high school football game.

• In 1998, Dr. Barto faced new allegations of inappropriate touching involving two female patients, who reported being molested during office visits at Johnstown Pediatrics.
• In 1998, following a complaint about the 1994 allegations to the Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs, the agency raised doubts about the patient’s memory of the incident, citing her age at the time of the alleged offense and the time that had elapsed before the complaint was made to the state.
• In February 1994, a 4-year-old patient alleged that Dr. Barto inappropriately touched her in a medical closet while her mother was briefly out of the room. The mother promptly reported the incident to both Child Protective Services and the police.

Do I Have a Case?

You may have grounds to file a civil legal action if:

• You were sexually abused by a doctor or medical staff.
• The abuse occurred at any medical facility.
• You were sexually exploited or abused by someone in a position of power within an organization meant to provide support and care.

Levy Konigsberg represents survivors in civil lawsuits that aim to hold medical facilities and other facility operators accountable for their failures to stop abusive staff members and protect patients.

As civil claims, these cases are separate from any criminal proceedings that may arise from abuse and focus instead on holding institutions liable for damages. This means you may still have a claim even if:

• Your abuser is no longer alive.
• Your abuser was never charged with or convicted of a crime.

Recoverable Damages in Sexual Abuse Claims

In addition to providing accountability and a sense of justice, civil sex abuse lawsuits allow survivors to recover financial compensation for their damages, which may include:

• Past medical and mental health expenses
• Future mental health expenses, including therapy, medications, etc.
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional anguish and psychological harm
• Lost income
• Other economic and non-economic damages

Pennsylvania Sexual Abuse  Attorneys

In Pennsylvania, the current statute of limitations for civil sex abuse claims is the age of adulthood plus 37 years, which means that survivors sexually abused as minors typically have until the age of 55 to file legal action, as long as they were born after November 26, 1989.

As in other states across the country, Pennsylvania’s current statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse claims has been criticized for barring numerous survivors from seeking justice and compensation for their damages and for failing to recognize accepted research about the considerable difficulties survivors face when processing their abuse and taking steps to come forward. Thanks to new efforts by advocates and lawmakers, however, there are now several pending measures before the Pennsylvania Legislature that seek to expand the rights of child sex abuse survivors.

These groundbreaking measures, which are expected to pass, will create new opportunities for survivors to step forward and obtain long-overdue justice. If passed, these measures would create a temporary two-year window for child sexual abuse survivors to file claims over abuse that occurred at any time in the past.

Levy Konigsberg is a prominent law firm known for its expertise in representing victims of sexual abuse by doctors or healthcare workers. With a dedicated team of experienced attorneys, they have successfully handled numerous cases, ensuring that survivors receive the justice and compensation they deserve. If you or a loved one has suffered sexual abuse by a doctor or healthcare worker, Levy Konigsberg offers compassionate and professional legal support to help navigate this challenging time. Their commitment to holding perpetrators accountable makes them a trusted ally in the fight against medical misconduct.