A male Philadelphian whom authorities allege masqueraded as a nurse faces multiple charges after 14 women accused him of sexually assaulting them at an urgent care center in northern Philadelphia, according to statements.
Ramon Garcia, 33, faces 24 felony and misdemeanor criminal charges including aggravated indecent assault, privacy invasion, lasciviousness and impersonation, among others, according to a Friday statement from Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele. The 24 charges are additional, the statement said.
Abington Township Police Detectives arrested Garcia Thursday at Carbon Health, an urgent care center in the Jenkintown section of Abington Township where he worked, the Abington Township Police Department (ATPD) said in a statement published Thursday. Two women alleged in their reports to the ATPD that Garcia sexually assaulted them, the statement revealed.
ADDITIONAL CHARGES FILED AGAINST MAN ASSAULTING WOMEN WHILE POSING AS A NURSE AT A JENKINTOWN URGENT CAREhttps://t.co/2PO13xtMhf pic.twitter.com/Cjx4WLo1Lp
— Abington Police (@AbingtonPolice) April 12, 2024
The ATPD received the first report Mar. 1. The first woman visited Carbon Health for a pre-employment drug screening, according to the ATPD. Garcia allegedly told her “she was randomly selected to be ‘observed,'” and then he allegedly watched her lift her dress and urinate into a cup, gave her his phone number and asked her out, the ATPD said.
Garcia introduced himself as a nurse to the second alleged victim, who had visited Carbon Health Tuesday for treatment, according to the ATPD. Garcia allegedly penetrated the woman with gloved fingers at first, then allegedly helped her take off her pants and touched her again. He then “moved his head towards her pelvic area, and the victim said ‘No’ and got dressed,” the ATPD added. He allegedly also asked the woman if she was in a relationship and had any fantasies, and then gave her his phone number. The alleged victim reported to the ATPD Wednesday.
Prosecutors charged Garcia with “Aggravated Indecent Assault (2nd degree felony), Indecent Assault, and (2) counts of Invasion of Privacy” for his alleged encounters with the two women, the ATPD said.
They then charged Garcia with the additional 24 charges as 12 more women came forward, DA Steele’s statement revealed. (RELATED: Police Charge Hollywood Producer With Drugging And Raping Man)
Garcia allegedly conducted a manual breast examination and twice manually examined the vagina and pubic areas, “placed victim’s hands on his leg/groin area while drawing their blood,” secretly photographed or videotaped victims’ bodies, “gave his phone number to multiple patients and made inappropriate comments about them and their bodies,” among other allegations, according to DA Steele’s statement.
Garcia’s actual job title is medical assistant, which entailed “signing in patients, taking vital signs and, if directed by a physician, to take blood samples,” but not undressing or physically examining or collecting urine samples from patients, as he was not a licensed nurse, the ATPD said.
“This defendant, who was not a nurse, took advantage of the trust that patients extend to true medical professionals by assaulting and violating them,” said DA Steele in his office’s statement. “I commend these victims … for having the courage to go to police to share what happened to them.”
Garcia remains incarcerated, having failed to make his bail of $249,000, DA Steele said. His preliminary hearing is reportedly slated for May 3.