NAPLES, Fla. — A Florida doctor is facing multiple sexual battery charges after Naples police said women told them they had been sexually battered while receiving cosmetic medical treatments.
Eric Andrew Salata, 54, and a board certified physician was arrested Monday, Nov. 21, at the Pura Vida Clinic on 5th Avenue South on two counts of sexual battery to a physically helpless person, the Naples Department Police reports.
Over the last four weeks, the police department received complaints from women which prompted an investigation. One woman told police that she received nitrous oxide, commonly known as laughing gas, during her procedure.
She also told detectives Salata allegedly offered her tequila and the combination of alcohol, medication and laughing gas caused her to "black out," WZVN-TV reports.
"During the procedure, as the nitrous oxide was wearing off, she found Dr. Salata performing sexual intercourse," the Naples Police Department said in a Facebook post.
The woman, shocked at what she reported happened, contacted police and submitted to a sexual assault examination. That exam was sent to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement labs for further investigation.
Another woman told police about a similar account while under sedation at Pura Vida Medical Spa with Salata, the police department said. Detectives also collected sexual assault evidence from that woman and had it sent to the FDLE laboratory for comparison and to support a prosecution of Salata, authorities said.
In addition to Salata's arrest, the Naples Police Department said detectives also served a search warrant on the practice to locate any additional evidence.
Since being arrested, Salata was released on bond on Nov. 22, records show. Wednesday evening, the web link for Pura Vida Med Spa in Naples was unable to connect.
