Las Vegas man accused of being fake doctor faces gun possession charges

By Jeff German Las Vegas Review-Journal

10 years ago

Rick Van Thiel, booked at Clark County Detention Center for charges including acting as a medical practitioner without a license, and possessing a gun by a prohibited person, speaks during an interview in Las Vegas on Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2015. Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @csstevensphoto

A portable tower of surveillance equipment towers over the home of Rick Van Thiel on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2015, in Las Vegas where he allegedly performed medical procedures including abortions and cancer treatments. A Sept. 30 FBI and Las Vegas police raid on the illegal clinic, located at 4928 E. Monroe Ave, shut down the practice. Brett LeBlanc / Las Vegas Review-Journal

A portable tower of surveillance equipment towers over the home of Rick Van Thiel on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2015 in Las Vegas, where he allegedly performed medical procedures like abortions and cancer treatments. A Sept. 30 raid on the illegal clinic, located at 4928 E. Monroe Ave, shut down the practice. (Brett LeBlanc / Las Vegas Review-Journal)

A portable tower of surveillance equipment towers over the home of Rick Van Thiel on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2015 in Las Vegas, where he allegedly performed medical procedures including abortions and cancer treatments. A Sept. 30 FBI and Las Vegas police raid on the illegal clinic, located at 4928 E. Monroe Ave, shut down the practice. Brett LeBlanc / Las Vegas Review-Journal

A doorbell-mounted camera is one of the many surveillance tools at the home of Rick Van Thiel on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2015 in Las Vegas, where he allegedly performed medical procedures including abortions and cancer treatments. A Sept. 30 FBI and Las Vegas police raid on the illegal clinic, located at 4928 E. Monroe Ave, shut down the practice. Brett LeBlanc / Las Vegas Review-Journal

A doorbell-mounted camera is one of the many surveillance tools at the home of Rick Van Thiel on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2015 in Las Vegas, where he allegedly performed medical procedures like abortions and cancer treatments. A Sept. 30 raid on the illegal clinic, located at 4928 E. Monroe Ave, shut down the practice. (Brett LeBlanc / Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Rick Van Thiel, who authorities say threatened lives by performing medical procedures without a license, was indicted on two felony gun charges by a federal grand jury Tuesday.

Van Thiel, 52, who prosecutors say espouses the beliefs of the anti-government “sovereign citizen” movement, is in federal custody.

He is accused of illegally possessing two handguns as a felon on Sept. 30.

Authorities on Sept. 30 seized the weapons and ammunition from a safe in a trailer owned by Van Thiel on property at 4928 E. Monroe Ave., according to an earlier federal complaint.

A man identified as Ronnie Leonard Grayson told authorities that he gave Van Thiel one of the weapons as collateral for a circumcision Van Thiel performed on him, the complaint said.

Van Thiel is barred from possessing handguns because of felony convictions that include attempted battery with substantial bodily harm, robbery, attempted robbery, burglary and assault with a firearm on a person, according to the complaint.

State authorities are pursuing murder, sexual assault and other charges against Van Thiel stemming from illicit procedures with more than 80 patients.

Contact Jeff German at jgerman@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-8135. Find him on Twitter: @JGermanRJ