SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — A medical worker at a north Scottsdale pain treatment center was arrested Wednesday on charges of sexual assault.
Police said officers responded to Integrated Pain Consultants near 96th Street and Shea Boulevard on June 25, 2018, to a report of a sexual assault.
The victim reported she had been under sedation for pain treatment to her back and believed she had been sexually assaulted by a male medical worker providing care in the recovery room as she began to regain consciousness.
The worker was identified as 38-year-old Xavier Perez.
According to police documents, the victim saw Perez either fixing a latex glove he was wearing or just putting on the glove when she opened her eyes.
Before she could say anything, Perez walked to the head of her bed and kept telling her she was just dreaming, the police documents say.
The victim told police that when she got into a wheelchair, she noticed "her shorts and underwear were wet and she felt mild pain in her vagina," according to the documents.
Documents show the victim told the front desk receptionist she believed Perez had digitally penetrated her. The manager at the office was notified and police were eventually called to the scene.
Investigators said they gathered evidence over the next several months to confirm the victim's account of events.
Police documents show detectives collected a DNA swab from inside the cheek area of Perez's mouth the month after the victim reported the sexual assault.
Police said Perez was taken into custody on Wednesday without incident.
Perez admitted to the sexual assault in an interview with police after his arrest, police say.
Police said Integrated Pain Consultants has multiple locations throughout the Valley, and Perez has worked at all of them at different points in time.
Detectives said Perez told them the sexual assault was a one-time occurrence, but police said they are concerned there may be other victims.
Perez appeared in court Wednesday where a judge determined he would be held on a $50,000 bond. To see his court appearance, head to our YouTube page.
Anyone with additional information about the investigation is asked to call the Scottsdale Police Department at 480-312-5000.
Integrated Pain Consultants said in a statement that Perez was an independent contractor and that he did not work at any IPC facility during the investigation:
"In June 2018, an independent contractor contracted by Integrated Pain Consultants (IPC), was investigated for allegedly assaulting a patient while she was under anesthesia. During the investigation, the independent contractor did not work at any IPC facility. Scottsdale police viewed closed circuit video of the alleged incident, and concluded their investigation. They informed IPC there was no evidence that the contractor committed a crime and the contractor was then added back into the schedule.
Since then, however, Scottsdale Police reportedly found new evidence that they believe implicated the independent contractor and he was subsequently arrested. IPC immediately terminated its agreement with the independent contractor.
IPC and our employees have a history of quality medical care in the Valley, and we are compassionate caretakers of our patients to ensure they live a life as pain free as possible. This incident has hit us hard and in a very emotional manner. The minute we were made aware of the initial investigation we made changes to our policies and procedures to ensure the utmost safety of our patients. We believe investigators have done everything to the best of their ability to ensure justice is being served and we want to thank Scottsdale Police for their diligence."