Officer Sentenced for Role at Clinics

A Los Angeles police officer on disability leave has been sentenced to three years’ probation, fined $1,000 and ordered to do 600 hours of community service work for his role in the operation of unlicensed medical clinics, officials said Wednesday.

Los Angeles Municipal Judge Veronica Simmons McBeth sentenced Kelly Klatt, 37, who was convicted Monday of paying employees below minimum wage, failing to withhold state and federal taxes and failing to pay employees for overtime work.

He also was found guilty of knowingly working for clinics that were staffed by unlicensed medical personnel.

Unlicensed staffers at the clinics--two in Los Angeles’ Westlake District and one each in Boyle Heights and Wilmington--routinely conducted blood and pregnancy tests, prescribed and dispensed drugs, set broken bones, took X-rays and supervised physical therapy for accident victims, said Deputy City Atty. Ellen Pais, who prosecuted Klatt.

The State Board of Medical Quality Assurance began investigating the case in May, 1988, after receiving an anonymous tip.

“This was a difficult case to prove,” said Pais. “Individuals who worked at the clinics had no employment records. Often, they signed checks at the clinic and were then given cash.”