SAN DIEGO (CNS) - A preliminary hearing is scheduled Tuesday for a La Mesa man accused of posing as a doctor and promising patients he could could cure cancer and HIV.
Keith Allen Barton, 51, faces multiple felony counts of treating people without a license, identity theft and grand theft.
Authorities allege the defendant called himself "Dr. Barton" and promised to cure a woman and her children of HIV.
One of the children subsequently died as a result of not receiving effective treatment, for which the mother paid Barton $18,000, prosecutors allege.
According to authorities, Barton is not a licensed medical doctor, osteopath or naturopath but shares his name with a real medical doctor who is licensed in California.
Barton allegedly used the fact that only his middle name differed from the real Dr. Barton to create the impression that he was a licensed professional.
District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis said Barton, by posing as a doctor and charging thousands of dollars for a phony cure, showed "callous disregard" for his victims and the medical field.
Barton was arrested Jan. 8 and later posted $100,000 bail.
"This case is a reminder that consumers need to be particularly wary of unapproved `miracle' cures, especially when they are offered by practitioners who run clinics south of the border," said prosecutor Gina Darvas.
At the end of Tuesday's hearing, a judge will decide if enough evidence was presented for Barton to stand trial.
