SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — A San Diego Superior Court Judge had strong words for a man who was accused of posing as a plastic surgeon and touching four women inappropriately at the Del Mar plastic surgery clinic he owned.
Dario Moscoso was charged in 2019 with 20 felony and misdemeanor charges, including sexual battery for representing himself as a surgeon and inappropriately touching four women between 2017 and 2019 at his Del Mar Cosmetic & Contouring Surgery clinic.
The charges were downgraded as part of a plea deal earlier this summerthat saw him plead guilty to felony counts of treating the sick/afflicted without a certificate and use of terms and letters falsely indicating the right to practice medicine, as well as a misdemeanor battery count.
Superior Court Judge Polly H. Shamoon sentenced Moscoso to two years of probation with credit for five days of time served Wednesday afternoon, but she expressed dismay while giving the sentence.
“I thought he took responsibility for his actions, and I’m reading a report that says nothing but the opposite,” she said.
The judge said Moscoso still accuses the victims “of being the liars and that he was the one that was framed with bogus charges.”
She said the four female victims had no reason to lie and went over Moscoso’s criminal record, including past charges for domestic violence and stocking.
Shamoon ordered him to pay monthly fines, restitution to the victims and for his electronic devices to be monitored. She warned him if he violates the terms of his probation “you will be considered for prison.”
'It destroyed me'
Outside the courtroom, Moscoso, 70, maintained his innocence and told ABC 10News investigative reporter Austin Grabish he never touched any patients inappropriately.
“I felt that it was unfair that this case was tried in the media a year ago, and it totally destroyed me completely and it did not give me an opportunity for a fair trial,” he said.
Moscoso said he pleaded guilty to the charges in the plea deal on the advice of his attorney and accused the first victim of trying to get money.
“Her interest was to file a civil lawsuit against the clinic and the doctors to see how much money she could get. That was her intent. I did not touch her,” he told Grabish when asked if he still maintained the women were lying.
Moscoso said his business went under after he was charged and added he lost his family.
“I have lost everything... I have nothing,” he said.
Jessica Pride, the attorney who represented the four women in civil lawsuits, said Wednesday was Moscoso’s “lucky day.”
She said he still fails to take accountability for his actions “even here after getting a gift of time served in probation, he still wants to blame the victims.”
PREVIOUS COVERAGE:
- Man pleads guilty to posing as plastic surgeon at Del Mar surgery center
- Del Mar plastic surgeon surrenders license after being accused of gross negligence by medical board
- Man posed as Del Mar plastic surgeon and sexually assaulted patient, per lawsuit
- Additional sex assault charges filed against man accused of posing as surgeon
