Coronado MD’s Trial Set in Rare Coin Theft : Crime: Prominent surgeon to be tried in New York on charges of stealing $1 million in rare coins.

Lengthy plea-bargain talks have collapsed in the case of Coronado heart surgeon Dr. Juan Suros XII, who will stand trial in New York later this month on charges that he allegedly stole more than $1 million in rare coins from a prestigious Manhattan coin society.

Gloria Montealegre, spokeswoman for the New York County district attorney’s office, said Monday that Suros’ trial will begin Nov. 27, in New York State Supreme Court. Suros, 48, is charged with stealing about 71 rare Spanish and Mexican coins from the American Numismatic Society’s Manhattan office in April 1989.

An official with the California Board of Medical Quality Assurance, the agency charged with disciplining doctors, said that Suros could lose his medical license if convicted of the charges. New York officials charged him with one criminal count each of grand larceny and possession of stolen property.

“Any number of things can happen, from a public reprimand to revocation of his license if he’s convicted,” said Suzanne Taylor, an analyst with the BMQA’s enforcement program. “We’re advised of all convictions and then do our own investigation. We will be looking into it if he’s convicted.”

Montealegre said that New York law requires a mandatory prison sentence if Suros is convicted on the grand larceny count. Conviction on the two counts could result in a 25-year sentence, she added.

“The grand larceny charge carries mandatory jail time if convicted,” Montealegre said. “Theoretically, he could receive a 25-year sentence, but he’s also a first-time offender. I’m sure the judge will have some leeway” when imposing sentence.

Suros’ trial will be heard by a judge, instead of a jury. Since he was arrested, about seven dates were calendered for trial, Montealegre said.

Both Suros and his New York attorney, Don Birnbaum, did not return phone calls to their offices.

According to Montealegre, Birnbaum and prosecutor Roslynn Mundell engaged in plea-bargain negotiations for almost 19 months. Montealegre declined to provide details about the talks, but said that “normally plea bargains are intended to reduce charges or avoid jail time for the defendant.”

She declined to say why the talks broke down.

Suros, who graduated from the University of Barcelona in Spain, also uses the name Juan XII, Count of Besalu. He is board-certified in cardiovascular and thoracic surgery and has an office in Chula Vista.

According to a New York police account of the incident, Suros was arrested at the exclusive Harvard Club in Manhattan, where he was staying while visiting the American Numismatic Society. Police said society officials noticed in February, 1989, that coins would mysteriously disappear every time Suros handled the coin trays.

At the time of his arrest, police were called by society officials when they found 13 coins missing, reportedly after he had examined two trays. A subsequent search of Suros’ room at the Harvard Club and of his home resulted in the recovery of about 71 coins that were stolen from the society, police said.

Last year, Montealegre said that Suros gave investigators a videotaped statement at the time of his arrest, on which he admitted taking the coins “because he loved them so much he just had to have them.”

San Diego police officials, who searched Suros’ office and home at the request of New York police, reported that Suros has a private collection of about 2,000 coins.