Operators Charged but Clinics Are Open Anyway

A day after seven people were accused of operating four clinics with bogus medical personnel, two of the clinics were open and attracting a steady stream of patients in the heavily immigrant Westlake district Saturday.

Young Latino families, carrying small babies and trailing children in frilly white dresses, climbed the steps to the Santa Ines and Bonnie Brae medical clinics at 2033 W. 7th St. Several of those questioned said they had not heard of the arrests.

That may change soon. “That situation will be addressed next week,” said Michael Qualls, a spokesman for the city attorney’s office.

Plan Not Disclosed

He declined to be specific, but indicated that there will be an attempt to shut down the clinics. The likely avenue for doing so, he indicated, will be a civil complaint. “The enforcement action is not concluded,” he said.

The clinics were treating up to 1,000 people a week, according to City Atty. James K. Hahn. But he said it appears that only two of the medical personnel were licensed in any health care profession. The rest of the staff--15 people--”were not licensed to provide the general health care they were giving,” Hahn said Friday.

The clinics advertised treatments that included X-rays, therapy and accident care. One young man entered the Santa Ines clinic on crutches. A spokeswoman for the operators, who refused to identify herself, denied access to the clinic to a reporter.

“There’s no comment until after the trial,” she said.

Two of the clinics, San Cristobal Medical Clinic in Boyle Heights and La Familia Health Center in Wilmington, were closed Saturday. Green graffiti reading “ick” was sprayed on the glass window of the San Cristobal clinic.

Began in 1983

Among those charged in the case is Salvador Cano, 38, of Santa Ana, president of Santa Ines Medical Enterprises Inc., the corporate owner of the clinics, which began operating in 1983.

Also accused was Cano’s wife, Enriqueta Silva, 40, a doctor, who worked at the clinic; James E. Mack, 68, of Studio City, a disbarred attorney; Kelly S. Klatt, 36, of San Pedro, a Los Angeles police officer on disability leave; Klatt’s wife, Samantha, 37; Alan B. Miller, 38, of Van Nuys, administrator of the clinics, and Frank Hegyi, 47, of Los Angeles, another clinic administrator.

They are charged in a 74-count indictment with practicing medicine without a license, forging a prescription, falsely advertising as a doctor, and other misdemeanors.

They also are charged with violations of the state Labor Code and Unemployment Insurance Code, stemming from the alleged exploitation of their work force. Employees were required to work 10- to 12-hour shifts without any days off, according to investigators.

Salvador Perez took his 2-month-old son, Milton, to the clinic Saturday. But he left after a few minutes.

“They no have doctors,” the 30-year-old father said in halting English. He shrugged and disappeared into the morning throng along Alvarado Street.