Santa Rosa chiropractor arraigned on felony charge for fleeing on eve of conviction

After evading capture for nearly two years, a Santa Rosa chiropractor convicted of sexually molesting women and teen clients stood before a Sonoma County judge Friday, restarting criminal proceedings interrupted when he failed to show up to court in March 2017 to hear a jury verdict and disappeared.

Daryoush “Darius” Bunyad, 38, was arrested last week in Mexico after a tipster recognized him as a wanted man and alerted authorities. With his apprehension, Bunyad can now be sentenced for crimes he committed against 10 women and girls at his downtown Santa Rosa chiropractor practice.

With a long, dark beard, unruly hair and wearing dark blue jail clothes, Bunyad was silent throughout Friday’s hearing before Sonoma County Superior Court Judge Jamie Thistlethwaite. At least two women who two years ago testified about abuse at his hands were present as he was arraigned on one felony charge of failing to attend court while on bail.

“The victims have expressed to me their gratitude to law enforcement that they can move forward and see justice completed,” Deputy District Attorney Jason Riehl said after the hearing. “There’s a general sense of relief he’s been apprehended.”

The women declined to speak with a reporter.

Bunyad’s lawyer, San Francisco attorney Frank Leidman, declined to comment on the case or his client’s time in Mexico.

Bunyad faces up to 13 years in state prison for his March 2017 conviction on six counts of felony sexual battery by fraud, six counts of misdemeanor annoying or molesting a child under 18 and misdemeanor battery, Riehl said. Fleeing during trial could add 2 years and ?8 months if he’s convicted of that felony charge and the maximum sentence is imposed.

Bunyad ran a popular Santa Rosa chiropractic firm, Health Performance Chiropractic, when allegations emerged from a teen employee and a teen client that he had groped them. More women and teens came forward to police after his arrest in November 2015.

Prosecutors said Bunyad preyed on young, athletic women and teen girls, grabbing their breasts, buttocks and genital areas under the guise of providing “whole body” treatment.

He had clients remove their shirts and bras, and he touched their bare breasts as part of the supposed treatments.

Bunyad was present during three weeks of testimony for the original trial, but didn’t show up for a March 9 court date when the jury returned its verdict.

A warrant was issued for his arrest and police put a hold on his passport, issued from Afghanistan.

While his whereabouts remained unknown, one of his former employees sued Bunyad and his company in a civil case that settled out of court in late January.

By that time, Santa Rosa police had already received the key tip that would lead to his arrest.

A resident of Playa del Carmen, south of Cancún, had called police to say Bunyad was living in the coastal resort town. U.S. Marshals took him into custody Jan. 24 and brought him to a Los Angeles jail. He was booked into the Sonoma County Jail Wednesday.

Bunyad returns to court Feb. 11.

You can reach Staff Writer Julie Johnson at 707-521-5220 or julie.johnson@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @jjpressdem.