Mass. doctor charged with paying teen boy for sex

ATTLEBORO, Mass. (AP) — A Massachusetts doctor is facing charges for allegedly paying $200 to have sex with a 14-year-old boy he met on a chat app and for possessing child pornography.

Dr. Sujan Kayastha was held on $75,000 bail at his arraignment Thursday on charges including electronic enticement of a child for prostitution and trafficking for sexual servitude. Not guilty pleas were entered on his behalf.

Authorities say the 37-year-old Kayastha engaged in sexually explicit conversations and exchanged nude photos with the boy, then in December met him at a Seekonk motel. He was arrested Wednesday at his Dartmouth home.

St. Luke’s Hospital in New Bedford says Kayastha has been relieved of his duties.

A lawyer representing Kayastha for the arraignment, Marybeth Hopkins, says her client plans to “vigorously” fight the charges.