North Dakota-based orthopedic surgeon Jon Norberg, MD, has pleaded guilty to felony reckless endangerment and a misdemeanor count of sexual assault. The plea agreement comes 6 months after Dr. Norberg allegedly sedated his soon-to-be ex-wife with propofol and raped her in his home. An investigative panel has also recommended that the state's Board of Medical Examiners suspend Dr. Norberg's license indefinitely.

As we reported in August, Dr. Norberg was charged with felony reckless endangerment and gross sexual imposition, a Class AA felony that could have landed the 41-year-old surgeon in prison for life. Dr. Norberg's plea agreement reduced the Class AA felony to a Class B misdemeanor, which upon conviction carries no more than a 30-day jail term. A pre-sentence investigation, expected to take 2 to 3 months, will now be conducted.

Mark McGraw