The Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH) has immediately suspended the license to practice veterinary medicine of Kurt A. Henkel, D.V.M., based on his convictions in the 40th Judicial Circuit Court, Lapeer County, Michigan.

On Jan. 25, 2008, Henkel was convicted of one felony count of Unlawful Imprisonment and one felony count of Attempted Interfering with Electronic Communication. As a result, Henkel was sentenced to incarceration (for a minimum of two years and five months, maximum of 15 years for the Unlawful Imprisonment conviction and 390 days for Attempted Interfering with Electronic Communication conviction, to run concurrent) and ordered to pay fines and costs totaling $7,725. The convictions were based on Henkel holding his spouse hostage and disconnecting his spouse's telephone call while she was being held hostage.

On June 26, 2009, MDCH issued an order summarily suspending Henkel's license pursuant to the Public Health Code which provides for the mandatory summary suspension of a health professional upon the conviction of a felony, a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for a maximum term of two years, or a controlled substance-related conviction. An administrative hearing will be scheduled to address the status of Henkel's license to practice veterinary medicine.

For more information about disciplinary actions taken by the health professional licensing boards within MDCH, please go to http://www.michigan.gov/mdch, and click on Health Systems and Licensing.