HIALEAH, Fla. – Officers arrested a 49-year-old man on Monday accusing him of a sexual battery at Hialeah Hospital. He works there as a patient care technician.
According to Sgt. Ibel Perez, Alberto E. Vergani-Cortez, of Hollywood, is facing a charge of sexual battery by coercion or threat of a patient.
Recommended Videos
According to his arrest report, Vergani-Cortez entered the patient’s hospital room on Sunday, partially closed the door and struck up a conversation with the patient, who suffers from mental illness and was hospitalized under the Baker Act.
Police said the conversation turned sexual in nature and Vergani-Cortez asked the patient when the last time he masturbated was.
According to the arrest report, Vergani-Cortez then told the patient that he should masturbate.
Authorities said the patient told Vergani-Cortez to leave the room, but Vergani-Cortez returned and began grabbing the victim’s genitals without his consent.
Police said the victim told Vergani-Cortez to stop and ordered him to leave for a second time, but Vergani-Cortez threatened to keep the patient in the hospital ward for longer if he didn’t comply with his demands.
According to the arrest report, the victim complied because he didn’t want to stay in the hospital for longer and Vergani-Cortez performed oral sex on him.
Police said Vergani-Cortez confessed to the victim’s statements about him.
Perez said detectives are still investigating Vergani-Cortez and are asking anyone with information about the case to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477.