DENVER – The Denver surgical assistant who pleaded guilty last month to posing as a plastic surgeon and performing dozens of illegal surgeries with little or no anesthesia will spend six years in prison, he learned Friday.
Carlos Fernandez, 37, pleaded guilty in early April to one count of second-degree felony assault, one count of criminal impersonation and one count of unauthorized practice of a physician.
A Denver judge sentenced Fernandez him Friday to six years in prison on the assault charge, which will be followed by six years of probation for the criminal impersonation and unauthorized practice charges.
He will also have to pay $189,222 in restitution during his probation period to his victims.
Fernandez had posed as a licensed medical doctor for more than a year before his arrest—performing face-lifts and tummy tucks, among other procedures.
Four victims were originally identified when he was first arrested last August, but another 50+ came forward or were identified through further investigation.
