South Bay plastic surgeon changes plea to guilty in death of patient

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — A South Bay plastic surgeon accused of murder in connection to a patient’s death following a botched surgery changed his plea to guilty on Monday in a deal that reduced the charges against him.

Carlos Chacon, 50, pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and three medical malpractice charges for the death of 36-year-old Megan Espinoza shortly after undergoing a breast augmentation procedure at his plastic surgery practice in December 2018.

A nurse at the practice, Heather Lang Vass, similarly pleaded guilty in May to involuntary manslaughter in connection to Espinoza’s death.

Prosecutors with the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office said the mother of two went into cardiac arrest during the operation at Divino Plastic Surgery in Bonita, but Chacon did not seek emergency services for her until about three hours later.

During that time, Chacon saw four other patients, prosecutors added. Once her condition worsened, the surgeon phoned other doctors for advice about what to do about Espinoza, prompting paramedics to finally be contacted.

An unlicensed medical assistant was also allegedly who was instructed to inject Espinoza with local anesthesia during the operation. Espinoza died a month after the surgery.

According to a court spokesperson, the surgeon can face up to three years behind bars in a state prison with his guilty plea to voluntary manslaughter. His license to practice medicine will also be suspended indefinitely. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 20.

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