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News Release — July 23, 2002
MEDICAL BOARD OF CALIFORNIA
July 23, 2002
Medical Board of California Arrests
Unlicensed Santa Ana Practitioner
SACRAMENTO-Investigators for the Medical Board of California served a search warrant on July 17, 2002 at the Samuel Clinic at 1329 E. 1st Street in Santa Ana and arrested Noe Alonzo Villalobos for practicing medicine without a license and dispensing drugs. Villalobos worked for Alonzo Lockhart, M.D., who is a general practitioner.
This case was referred to the Medical Board by the Santa Ana Police Department, which had received information that Villalobos was practicing medicine without a license. An undercover investigator for the Medical Board went to the clinic, and was both examined by the unlicensed Villalobos and issued by him prescriptions for Allegra capsules (an allergy medication) and Biaxin (an antibiotic).
Information regarding this case has been referred by the Medical Board to the Orange County District Attorney for the consideration of filing criminal charges against both men—unlicensed activity for Villalobos and aiding and abetting the unlicensed practice of medicine for Lockhart.
This investigation was handled by staff of the Medical Board's Operation Safe Medicine (OSM), a special unit of trained investigators who seek to protect the public by reducing access to individuals who are incompetent and unlicensed to provide medical care. Begun in January 2001, this unit of Medical Board investigators handles the identification, investigation and referral for prosecution of operators in and of both legal and illegal clinics and the personnel who hold themselves out to the public as qualified medical practitioners. OSM staff has concentrated in areas of the state where illegal activity flourishes, particularly in Orange County and the greater Los Angeles area.
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The Medical Board of California is the state agency responsible for licensing and regulating physicians in this state.
www.medbd.ca.gov
Information about specific physicians: (916) 263-2382
Complaint line: (800) 633-2322
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