85-year-old Alabama doctor convicted of sexually abusing children, creating child porn

Published 6:12 pm Thursday, March 11, 2021

A former Alabama doctor arrested when authorities sought the public’s help identifying a man shown in an obscene video was convicted on charges of sexually abusing children and producing child pornography, a prosecutor said Thursday.

Ruepert Don Bryan, 85, of Calera, was ordered held without bond after his conviction, which followed a three-day trial in Shelby County.

District Attorney Jill Lee said in a statement that jurors saw evidence that included numerous recordings Bryan made as he sexually abused children.

“The jury also heard from multiple witnesses who were victimized by Bryan when they were children before the allegations came to light and he was brought to justice,’′ she said.

Bryan worked as an ear, nose and throat physician in Alabaster. In practice since 1976, he surrendered his medical license in July 2016 after being accused of misconduct, according to records from the Medical Licensure Commission of Alabama.

A month earlier, authorities had released an image of an unidentified man who was sought by investigators after an unidentified person came forward with an old videotape that had been abandoned. Evidence in the case included a video that was made in 2002 and included someone younger than 17 engaged in sex acts, records showed.

“We’re grateful for the victims who stepped forward to share their stories of abuse. It’s only through them that this day has finally arrived,” said prosecutor Daniel McBrayer. “We also appreciate the members of the public who answered the sheriff’s call to help identify this abuser who was only a face on a video when the investigation first began.”

Bryan has been jailed since his arrest. A judge scheduled sentencing for April 5.