Yet another story has emerged in the news that should serve as a reminder to plastic surgery patients everywhere that patient safety is of the utmost importance. According to SF Appeal, Carlos Guzmangarza, a 49-year-old resident of San Francisco, was recently ordered to stand trial for a series of crimes that are truly shocking.

Guzmangarza was arrested a year ago and has been accused of? illegally performing medical procedures as well as sexually assaulting his victims. According to the news source, his official charges include rape, sexual batter, assault, practicing without a license, grand theft and false imprisonment.

The phony doctor allegedly performed procedures like facelifts, liposuction and buttock augmentations on nine women while assuming the identity of Carlos Guzman, a real physician's assistant, prosecutors allege. Victims claim that he smoked during one procedure, and then charged the patient $5,000. He is also accused of injecting that patient with various substances, and then assaulting her sexually.

Prosecutors also say that Guzmangarza gave one woman liposuction, then visited her home and flushed her removed fat down her toilet. Later, she suffered from an infection in her abdomen and had to seek medical attention.

If convicted of these heinous crimes, Guzmangarza could face up to 30 years in prison. He's currently being held on $1 million bail.

Unfortunately, it sounds like Guzmangarza's victims were seeking a legitimate plastic surgeon, rather than hoping to cut costs on their procedures by going to a back-alley doctor. That's why the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons urges all patients to seek out board-certified plastic surgeons, and to do a thorough investigation of their medical history. Patients should not be ashamed to ask for proof of a doctor's licensure. If a so-called medical professional is reluctant to provide this information, then patients should move on, as any legitimate doctor will be happy to show evidence of their experience.