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Here at New Times, we’ve faithfully covered Miami’s underground cosmetic surgery scene, where a discount silicon injection can easily lead to a gruesome death by injection for the would-be beautiful people.
Miami-Dade Police this afternoon say they uncovered a new wrinkle in the shady business when they arrested Larry DeJesus, who was posing as a licensed health-care practicioner.
Cops say the 48-year-old DeJesus, in fact, was a fraud who horribly burned at least one victim — with a laser!
According to police, the victim, 22-year-old Monica Jimenez, paid DeJesus last August to perform laser hair removal on her underarms. When she complained that the job was hurting quite a lot, DeJesus told her the discomfort “was normal,” says Det. Aida Fina-Milan, an MDPD spokeswoman.
Jimenez developed blisters, which DeJesus lanced, drained, and kept on laser-burning. Eventually, Jimenez asked DeJesus to stop and went home.
It wasn’t until she went to the hospital that Jimenez learned the faux laser technician had inflicted third-degree burns to her arms.
Jimenez complained to the Department of Health, which turned the investigation over to the police when it learned that DeJesus didn’t have a license.
Lesson of the day: Before you voluntarily let someone burn you with a laser, give them a good checking out.
This isn’t DeJesus’s first brush with the law, according to Riptide’s records search.
Back in 1996, he was charged with three felony counts of threatening a public servant; none of the counts was prosecuted. A misdemeanor count of resisting arrest without violence was also dropped.
Then, in 2003, he was hit again with the same charges: two felony counts of threatening a public official, plus two felony counts of obstructing justice. Those charges, again, were dismissed.
Now, DeJesus has been charged with unlicensed practice of health care with serious injuries.
