An already-embattled physician was ordered to temporarily stop practicing medicine.

Dr. David Evanko, 56, of Butler Township already faces allegations in Butler County criminal court that he sexually assaulted three boys.

The first allegation, involving a boy Evanko encountered in the mid-1990s through the Boy Scouts, was filed in May.

The other two allegations involve youths at Summit Academy who were treated for medical issues by Evanko in 2008 and 2009. That case was filed last month.

Unlike the initial case, the new allegations involve Evanko's medical practice. And days after the new charges were held for court by District Judge Lewis Stoughton, on Nov. 19, the Pennsylvania Board of Medicine issued the order temporarily suspending Evanko's medical license.

The petition cites the academy-related allegations only, and it includes a copy of the criminal complaint filed by state police in that case.

Court records say Evanko's license suspension became effective when the doctor received a copy of it, likely Tuesday or Wednesday.

The suspension will remain affective until a preliminary hearing by the Board of Medicine or the Office of Hearing Examiners.

Charlie Young, a state deputy press secretary for the Pennsylvania Department of State, said the licensing preliminary hearing would be similar to a preliminary hearing in criminal court in that officials only would determine if the evidence supports the allegations.

If that standard is met, the doctor's license would be suspended for up to 180 days pending a full, formal hearing.

If at any point in the process the allegations are determined to be unfounded, the doctor's license would be immediately restored.

Evanko's defense attorney David Defazio said he will file next week a petition, asking the court to dismiss the criminal charges related to the academy boys.

"(Prosecutors) failed to prove a critical element to all of theses charges ... that Dr. Evanko's treatment was medically inappropriate," Defazio said.