CHULA VISTA, Calif. (KGTV) — A South Bay doctor and a nurse were taken away in handcuffs on Friday and sentenced to prison time for their roles in a botched 2018 plastic surgery that killed a patient.
Dr. Carlos Chacon was given a three-year prison sentence as part of a plea deal negotiated between the district attorney and his defense team.
A judge sentenced his nurse Heather Alice Lang Vass to two years of prison time for her role in the botched surgery.
Court heard that Vass, who had no formal training in anesthesia, gave Megan Espinoza a fatal dose of drugs including ketamine and fentanyl. The judge said Vass admitted to giving patients sedation 100 different times as part of a “side hustle” to make extra money even though she “had no business” giving sedation.
“One hundred times she put her desire for extra cash over her own patients,” Judge Maryann D’Addezio said.
Espinoza, a mother of two and teacher, had gone into Chacon’s Divino Plastic Surgery clinic in Bonita for a breast augmentation surgery.
The judge said Chacon used Vass to cut corners to save money. Vass pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter last year. Chacon pleaded guilty to manslaughter for his role in the death and now has a lifetime ban that prevents him from practicing medicine in California.
Family and friends of Espinoza fought back tears as they begged the judge to give the duo a harsher punishment.
“The minimum sentencing of three years seems well painfully inappropriate,” said David Gorcey, Espinoza’s father before the judge read her decision.
Team 10 investigative reporter Austin Grabish will have more on the emotional victim impact statements read in court tonight on ABC 10News at 5 and 7 p.m.
