April 12, 2024
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Ramon Garcia, a former medical assistant at Carbon Health Urgent Care, allegedly sexually assualted and harassed at least 14 women at medical offices in Abington Township and Dresher, according to investigators.
A former medical assistant, who was charged last month with sexually assaulting two women at an Abington urgent care center, faces multiple new charges after allegations by a dozen more women, Montgomery County prosecutors said Friday.
Ramon Garcia, 33, was arrested last month after two women told police he had sexually assaulted them at the Carbon Health Urgent Care location in the Jenkintown section of the township. Authorities now allege Garcia committed multiple other crimes, including taking photos and videos of unsuspecting women at the Jenkintown office and Carbon Health's clinic in Dresher. The incidents happened between November and Garcia's arrest on March 11.
Garcia allegedly posed as a nurse multiple times and performed physical exams and other medical procedures on patients that, as a medical assistant, he was not authorized to do. On his phone, police said they have found photos of female patients at the office and videos of women inside exam rooms and bathrooms.
Of the two women who first contacted police, one told investigators he observed her provide a urine sample. The other said he had instructed her to undress in front of him and then performed a physical exam on the woman, police said.
Both women reported Garcia had given them his personal phone number as they were leaving the urgent care office.
Since his arrest, twelve other women have reported being sexually harassed or sexually assaulted by Garcia at Carbon Health's locations in Jenkintown and Dresher.
Police said multiple women allege Garcia had performed physical exams on them. Others told investigators Garcia watched them change into medical gowns, attempted to give them his phone number and made remarks about their bodies, prosecutors said. In one instance, while drawing a woman's blood, Garcia allegedly placed a woman's hand on his groin and held it there, police said.
Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele said Garcia "took advantage of the trust" that patients expect during appointments with medical professionals.
Garcia faces 24 charges related to incidents reported by women who contacted police after his arrest last month, including aggravated indecent assault, invasion of privacy, harassment for lewd and lascivious acts, and impersonating a license holder.
Garcia, who has not posted bail, is being held at the Montgomery County Correctional Facility. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 3.
Carbon Health Urgent Care is based in San Francisco and has about 100 locations in the U.S., including six in the Philadelphia region. A company spokesperson said Carbon Health is cooperating with the investigation.
"We are aware of the shocking charges of sexual misconduct by Ramon Garcia who is no longer employed at Carbon Health," the spokesperson said Friday evening. "We have conducted a thorough internal investigation and are consulting with an external investigator on this matter."
