A Somerville man and his Revere associate performed illegal liposuctions and other procedures with no medical or aesthetician’s licenses, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said after their arraignments today.
VICTOR HERNANDEZ (D.O.B. 5/28/72) and his associate, MARIA NASCIENTO (D.O.B. 5/22/55), were arraigned this afternoon in Chelsea District Court on charges of unauthorized practice of medicine for allegedly performing cosmetic surgery at their offices on Broadway in Revere. The two were also charged with distribution of a Class E substance, possession of a Class E substance with intent to distribute, and conspiracy to distribute a Class E substance, all related to the use of Lidocaine, a local anesthetic, during the procedures.
“We’ve already seen what can happen when surgical procedures are performed by people without legitimate training and licensure,” Conley said, referring to the death of a 24-year-old woman during an operation in Framingham. “Local, state, and federal authorities are trying to keep it from happening again.”
Judge Diana Maldonado set Hernandez’ bail at $10,000 cash and Nasciento’s at $5,000 cash. Both were ordered to return to court on Oct. 13 for a pre-trial conference. Both were ordered to surrender their passports while the case is pending.
Assistant District Attorney Kathryn Hinman of Conley’s Narcotics Unit told the court that Hernandez and Nasciento were the subject of an ongoing investigation by State Police assigned to the Suffolk and Middlesex district attorneys’ offices and Revere Police. The investigation was referred to local authorities by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Criminal Investigations.
When State Police executed a search warrant at their Revere offices yesterday afternoon, a patient was on Hernandez’ table after having undergone a minor medical procedure. Foreseeing such a circumstance, police had arranged for an ambulance to be present at the scene; the woman was evaluated at the scene by emergency medical technicians but declined further treatment.
Federal authorities notified State Police of the defendants’ alleged activities in May of this year, prompting months of surveillance and visits by undercover State troopers. In the course of those activities, investigators learned that Hernandez would perform liposuction, mesotherapy, and other procedures for prices that ranged from $2,500 to $9,000.
Neither Hernandez nor Nasciento has any professional licensure that would allow them to perform such procedures, Conley said.
Earlier this year, Conley’s office charged another doctor at the same 85 Broadway office building with selling illicit prescriptions for painkillers and tranquilizers. LEONARD FRIEDMAN (D.O.B. 9/3/36) is currently under indictment following his July 13. That case is not believed to be related to the one arraigned today.
Hernandez was represented by attorney Michael Capone. Nasciento was represented by attorneys from the Committee for Public Counsel Services.
