First time patient witnesses raid on Dr. Chacon’s office

RENO, Nev. (KOLO) - We are learning more about the raid on a Reno physician’s office from a patient who was there.

It happened last Wednesday September 6, 2023, when FBI Agents walked in and took over. Dr. Samuel Chacon’s license was suspended by the Nevada State Board of Medical Examiners. Investigators for the board claim the doctor’s continued practice posed an imminent risk of harm to patients and the public.

A patient in the waiting room talked about what she experienced on her first doctor’s visit, to Dr.Chacon’s office.

“Definitely given myself more time to do research. I think it would have kind of shut me down and told me to run,” says an eyewitness to the raid on Dr. Samuel Chacon’s office in Reno last week. Our patient we’re calling ‘Rose” asked us to shoot her in silhouette because of the sensitive nature of our conversation.

It concerns her pregnancy, her health insurance status, and her one-time visit last Wednesday to OBGYN Dr. Samuel Chacon’s Office.

That was the day after the doctor’s license was suspended by the Nevada State Board of Medical Examiners. All information she was not made privy to by the doctor or his staff.

“It’s hard to even come to words you know what came to mind,” says Rose. “It is shocking to say the least. Even though he knew he had his license suspended. He was still going to go and give medical advice and tell me whatever medical procedures I needed; scares me most that if he hadn’t had his license suspended, how much worse I would feel.”

Eleven weeks pregnant and high risk, Rose says she chose Dr. Chacon after reading reviews on-line.

While there were negative comments, she chose to focus on the positive as she only needed the doctor until November when she could find another doctor on Nevada’s health insurance exchange.

Her husband makes too much money to qualify for Medicaid. She called Chacon’s office to see how much a cash visit would cost.

While they quoted her a price, they also added this:

“Told me he would only take me up to birth,” says Rose. “But he would not deliver at the hospital.”

That’s because Dr. Chacon has lost his privileges at local hospitals. Another fact not known by Rose.

She says she arrived at the office on Wednesday September 6. 2023, and received a quick ultrasound. She paid her money and sat in the waiting room to talk to Dr. Chacon.

“An FBI agent came in and demanded to see Dr. Chacon” says Rose. “The woman who opened the back of the office, said she didn’t know if he was in. And he said something to the lines of we know he is here because his car is in the parking lot.” The events moved quickly after that. “A few other agents same into the waiting room after that,” says Rose. “Told us the office was shut down and when I stood up, I said, I made a joke and said everyone’s day just got more interesting. He told me you should find a new doctor. You will thank us later. We had all walked downstairs. I spoke with someone with the State Board of Medical Examiners, and she had given me her card and her information--how to get my medical records. And she told me to consider getting an attorney.”

Rose says at eleven weeks pregnant, anxious to get an ultrasound and blood work and no health insurance, she may have experienced some tunnel vision. If those facets of her life had not been in the forefront, she says she might have made other choices.

But that day she went back to the internet, and after reading of complaints and allegations against Dr. Chacon, she believes she got off pretty lucky.

“Saw article after article about protests that people have done to stop him,” says Rose. “Different articles about him and read more to the one-star review on Google-- kind of wondered how I surpasses all of that, quite a shock.”

In its suspension of Dr. Chacon’s Practice, the State Board of Medical Examiners cites a Chacon high risk patient with twins who developed Gestational Diabetes. Despite no hospital privileges the doctor continued to see the patient; never referring her to another practice. He told the patient when it came time to deliver--just go to an emergency room.

We have interviewed plenty of patients who report unethical care at the hands of Dr. Chacon. There are at least seven malpractice suits against the doctor, although those civil cases may take a back seat to a potential criminal case against Dr. Chacon.

With all the facts before her Rose tells us:

“I think I would trust my intuition more,” she says.

The State Board of Medical Examiners will meet again on October 12, 2023, to determine if Dr. Chacon’s suspension should stay in place.

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