Phony surgeon apprehended in Belize

A man listed as one of Florida’s top ten fugitives has been apprehended in Belize. Reinaldo Silvestre, wanted in Miami for posing as a doctor and performing cosmetic surgery among other charges was apprehended by a coordinated effort between US and Belizean authorities this week and has been remanded to Hattieville prison pending extradition. He has been on the run from Florida authorities since 1999 and has been reportedly living in Belize since 2000 under the name Ray Castenadas. He was most recently employed as a lecturer on Anatomy at the Central American Health Sciences University or Belize Medical College in Burrell Boom. The school issued a release this evening stressing that he approached them with what they describe as quote “excellent credentials” and at no time did the college have reason to doubt his identity or suspect his past activities in the United States. Before he fled the States, Silvestre was charged by Florida authorities with organised fraud, aggravated battery, practicing medicine without a license and grand theft. Among his activities while posing as a doctor in Florida, the Associated Press reports he performed operations on champion bodybuilder Alexander Baez and at least two other women, resulting in gross disfigurement and severe emotional and physical pain. In the Baez case, the body builder reports he awoke three times during the operation to have his pectoral muscles increased due to the use of veterinary anesthesia. Worst of all, he discovered Silvestre had put female breast implants into his chest.