At least 20 complaints reported against Vero Beach doctor following arrest
- Dignity 4Patients
- Nov 18
- 2 min read
By Corey Arwood- 18/11/2025- Treasure Coast Newspapers- [Florida, US]- [Christopher Olenek]
INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — More accounts of troubling encounters with a Vero Beach area doctor were reported following the announcement of his arrest after years of complaints of unwanted touching and sexual advances toward patients and employees, law enforcement officials say.
In the days following the arrest of Chistopher Olenek, announced by Indian River County Sheriff’s Office Nov. 14, detectives have heard from at least 20 people, all said to be women, including a juvenile, who reported their encounters with the doctor, said agency officials.
“Our team has been very busy, as you can see,” said Sheriff Eric Flowers, speaking about the case Nov. 17. “They’re going to follow up on every single one of those complaints.”
Those who reported their encounters with Olenek called the agency and spoke with detectives, said Capt. Joe Abollo.
The juvenile was a patient of Olenek, he said.
Efforts to reach Olenek by phone at his office Nov. 18 were unsuccessful.
Flowers said Nov. 14 detectives believed there were possibly "dozens of victims” and they were looking for those who had similar experiences to come forward and speak with them.
According to state medical records, Olenek is a osteopathic physician who has practiced locally since roughly 2000.
The detective who investigated the latest of nine complaints against Olenek dating back to at least 2011, wrote in his arrest warrant Olenek abused the “confidential nature of a doctor-patient relationship to perpetrate his crimes."
Of three women who were first to speak with detectives, all expressed they were touched in an inappropriate manner or on intimate parts of their bodies, according to the warrant affidavit.
“Each case shares the same motive, to fulfill Dr. Olenek’s sexual desires for the (women) who come to see him for medical care,” the detective wrote in the affidavit, which stated Olenek “utilizes his profession as a way to justify his inappropriate touching of his victims.
Olenek, 62, of Mangrove Lane, was charged with misdemeanor battery touch or strike, which is intentionally touching or hitting someone else against their will, and released on $5,000 bail shortly after his arrest Nov. 13.
Business medical and court records show Olenek is operating under the trademark name Optimal Health at 927 37th Place, known as East Side Urgent Care.
Criminal charges did not arise from the cases dating back to 2011 with Olenek denying or downplaying the complaints when questioned by deputies. Of those people who made complaints dating back to 2011, two patients spoke with detectives about their experiences in 2019, 2022 and this year.
Jail records show the misdemeanor battery charge is Olenek's only Indian River County arrest.
If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article and were abused in state run medical and health facilities, you can contact Dignity4Patients, whose helpline is open Monday to Thursday, 10am to 4pm.
Dignity4Patients Commentary: A GP is a trusted member of society. When a trusted member of society utilizes their profession to justify inappropriate behaviors they not only breach their duty of care, but violate the profession itself, calling into question the professional oversight bodies.
