Bail reduced for alleged phony doctor in Las Vegas

A judge reduced bail Wednesday to $500,000 for an alleged phony doctor prosecutors say might be tied to the deaths of three people who sought treatment from him.

Rick Van Thiel, whose bail had previously been $1 million, faces two counts of ex-felon in possession of a firearm, but prosecutors have said they plan to pursue a "myriad" of charges including murder and sexual assault.

Prosecutor Michelle Fleck described Van Thiel's makeshift clinic as something that "amounts to literally what horror films are made of" and said three people he persuaded to stop taking antiviral medication had died. As recently as September, a woman who had an abortion had gone to Van Thiel and he performed sexual acts on her, according to prosecutors.

Van Thiel would watch up to 50 Youtube videos in order to learn procedures about how to treat women who have had miscarriages, or perform abortions, circumcisions, cancer treatment and HIV treatment, according to the prosecutor.

"He appears to have a sexually transmitted disease fetish because, without any training or experience in being able to cure any diseases, he reaches out only to people who have sexually transmitted diseases or AIDS or cancer," Fleck said. "His websites reach out to some of the most vulnerable people in the community, those suffering from chronic, terminal diseases... I've rarely seen a case that rises to this level of depravity,"

Public defender Scott Coffee wanted a bail of around $20,000, which he said would have been more appropriate for the charges filed.

"They want to set bond on charges that may be coming down the road, not charges that are actually pending," Coffee said. "I don't think it's appropriate to set bond on the other charges at this point."

The case is expected to be presented to a grand jury, but prosecutors have said it could be months before further charges are filed against Van Thiel.

Van Thiel, 52, kept records on more than 80 so-called "patients" who could potentially be victims.

Authorities continue to investigate Van Thiel's practice, which was based in a residence at 4928 E. Monroe Ave., near the intersection of Owens Avenue and Nellis Boulevard.

The practice was shut down last month after Las Vegas police and FBI agents executed a search warrant on the property.

Among 140 confiscated items: computers, hard drives and "media storage devices," according to arrest records. Black market steroids, blood thinning drugs, and bags containing something that looked like blood also were seized.

District Judge Elizabeth Gonzalez said she was concerned because Van Thiel had five prior felonies, including robbery, assault with a firearm and burglary.

Fleck called Van Thiel a "most serious threat to the community" who, as a self-proclaimed sovereign citizen, "doesn't respect the jurisdiction of the government or the jurisdiction of this court."

Van Thiel told Gonzalez he wanted to go to trial "as quick as possible" on the firearm possession counts, and the judge scheduled trial for December.

Contact David Ferrara at dferrara@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-1039. Find him on Twitter: @randompoker