BOISE— Police arrested a woman in Idaho's capital city after they say she impersonated a plastic surgeon and conducted breast exams on at least two women in local bars.
Kristina B. Ross was booked Tuesday into Ada County Jail. She faces accusations of unlicensed practice of medicine.
It all started earlier this month, when Boise Police were called to a downtown medical office by employees of a licensed plastic surgeon.
Boise police said Ross, 37, approached women in local bars and nightclubs with the convincing persona of a doctor named Berlyn Aussieahshowna. Ross -- posing as Dr. Aussieahshowna -- touched the women's breasts under the guise of a "breast exam," the release said.
Prosecutors said Wednesday one woman disrobed for Ross and another was grabbed above her clothes. On Nov. 2, employees of a licensed plastic surgeon at a Downtown medical office said they’d taken several calls in recent weeks from women asking for Dr. Aussieahshowna and claiming they had scheduled appointments and surgeries.
But no doctor with that name worked at that office. Officers were able to obtain the names of two women who had called. The women told police they had seen the suspect at local nightclubs on more than one occasion and that her vocabulary and apparent medical knowledge appeared legitimate.
Ross is not, nor has ever been a licensed medical doctor. Boise police are searching for other potential victims who may have been promised plastic surgery, breast augmentation, liposuction, laser or body shaping treatments.
Ross, who has a previous criminal history in Idaho as a man, currently identifies herself as a woman. She is booked into the Ada County Jail as a woman and is being held in protective custody by herself at this time.
Prosecutors asked 4th District Magistrate Kevin Swain for a $100,000 bond for Ross, saying the "most concerning facts here are that (Ross) is not a doctor and that (Ross) is a male touching women’s breasts under the guise of being a female doctor.”
Ross gasped, “Oh my god!” when prosecutors made that claim. Because it was an initial arraignment, Ross did not address the judge directly and her court appointed attorney did not bring up the gender issue when asking for the much lower $5,000 bond.
Swain opted for the higher bond but said that was mainly because of Ross’ previous conviction for aggravated battery and the fact she does not seem to have any family or work connection in the Boise area despite living here for the last three years.
Read the full story at idahostatesman.com