Anesthesiologist Gets 190 Years in Prison

A Texas anesthesiologist has been sentenced to 190 years in prison for a shocking crime that shook the medical community and left patients fighting for their lives.

At a Glance

Raynaldo Rivera Ortiz Jr. was convicted of injecting heart-stopping drugs into IV bags.
His actions caused at least one death and multiple cardiac emergencies.
Ortiz was sentenced to 190 years in federal prison.
Judge described his actions as “tantamount to attempted murder.”
Victims and families testified about the severe impact of Ortiz’s actions.

A Disturbing Case Unfolds

Raynaldo Rivera Ortiz Jr., a Texas anesthesiologist, has been sentenced to 190 years in federal prison for injecting heart-stopping drugs into IV bags. The severity of his crimes came to light between May and August 2022, when several patients at Baylor, Scott & White SurgiCare North Dallas experienced unexpected cardiac emergencies during routine procedures.

The gravity of Ortiz’s actions became tragically clear when Dr. Melanie Kaspar, another anesthesiologist, died after using an IV bag to treat herself for dehydration at home. Laboratory analysis revealed a lethal cocktail of drugs in the IV bags, including a nerve-blocking agent, a stimulant, and an anesthetic.

A Dallas anesthesiologist has been sentenced to 190 years in federal prison in a case where he was convicted of injecting drugs into IV bags, leading to at least one death. https://t.co/I00gnDgDow

— NBC News (@NBCNews) November 21, 2024

A Calculated Attack on Patient Safety

Investigators discovered that Ortiz had been injecting saline bags with dangerous drugs before placing them in a warming bin for use in surgeries. Video evidence captured Ortiz tampering with IV bags shortly before they were used in procedures, leaving patients vulnerable to his deadly sabotage.

“This disgraced doctor acted no better than an armed assailant spraying bullets indiscriminately into a crowd. Dr. Ortiz tampered with random IV bags, apparently unconcerned with who he hurt. But he wielded an invisible weapon, a cocktail of heart-stopping drugs, concealed inside an IV bag designed to help patients heal,” U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton stated.

At the time of these incidents, Ortiz was facing disciplinary action for a previous medical mistake and risked losing his medical license. This may have been a motive for his criminal actions, as he potentially sought to cast blame on the medical facility.

Justice Served, but Scars Remain

The Texas Medical Board suspended Ortiz’s license in September 2022, citing the immediate threat he posed to public welfare. Chief U.S. District Judge David Godbey, who presided over the case, did not mince words when handing down the 190-year sentence, describing Ortiz’s actions as “tantamount to attempted murder.”

During the sentencing hearing, victims and their families provided heart-wrenching testimony about the severe impact of Ortiz’s actions on their lives. The betrayal of trust has left deep scars, with one victim’s son revealing that his 10-year-old child doesn’t trust doctors anymore because “a doctor tried to kill Pops.”

Ortiz waived his rights and was not present during the sentencing or victim statements, a final act of cowardice in a case that has shaken the foundations of patient trust in the medical system. As the community begins to heal, the 190-year sentence serves as a stark reminder of the severe consequences awaiting those who betray their oath to “do no harm.”