DALLAS, TX — A Dallas anesthesiologist was sentenced to 190 years in prison on November 20 after injecting drugs into patient IV bags, leading to one death and numerous cardiac emergencies at Surgicare North Dallas.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office Northern District of Texas, Raynaldo Riviera Ortiz Jr., 60, was convicted earlier this year on multiple charges related to tampering with medical products and causing serious bodily harm.
Ortiz was charged in September 2022 after an investigation revealed that he had intentionally injected IV bags with drugs like epinephrine, bupivacaine, and lidocaine. These substances can cause severe health complications, including heart failure and high blood pressure, when injected into patients.
The investigation began after several patients at Surgicare North Dallas suffered sudden cardiac emergencies during routine medical procedures. One month later, an anesthesiologist at the facility died after using an IV bag that had been tampered with. Her death was linked to the drugs Ortiz had injected into the IV bags.
After the death and several other medical crises, doctors at the facility began suspecting that tampered IV bags were to blame. Tests on one IV bag used during a patient’s surgery revealed the presence of dangerous drugs, confirming the suspicion.
Ortiz was captured on surveillance video repeatedly tampering with IV bags, injecting them with harmful substances, and placing them into a warming bin. He was seen removing bags from the bin just before they were used in surgeries, knowing that they would cause complications for patients.
Raynaldo Riviera Ortiz Jr. tampering with IV bags at Surgicare North Dallas
In addition to the charges related to tampering, Ortiz was convicted of intentionally adulterating drugs, and causing serious bodily injury. He faced disciplinary action for a separate medical error when the tampering occurred, and his medical license was at risk.
At his sentencing, victims and their families gave emotional testimony about the impact of Ortiz’s actions. One victim’s son said his young child no longer trusted doctors, while another victim recalled the trauma of waking up in intensive care after his surgery and was never the same since the incident.
The family of the anesthesiologist who died from the tampered IV bag also spoke at the hearing. Her husband described the devastating loss, saying the image of his wife’s “lifeless eyes” would haunt him forever.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA-OCI) investigated the case and noted the seriousness of Ortiz’s crimes.
FDA officials noted that his actions put countless patients at risk and showed a complete disregard for patient safety.
The entire press release can be found here.
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