Florida doctor uses laughing gas and sedatives to rape women during procedures, police say
Two women have come forward accusing a Florida cosmetic doctor of sexually battering them while they were sedated in a medical spa, authorities say.
Dr. Eric Andrew Salata is facing two counts of sexual battery to a physically helpless person, according to jail records. The 55-year-old physician, who’s worked in the medical field for nearly 30 years, was arrested Monday night at the Pura Vida Medical Spa. He remains in the Collier County Jail as of Tuesday evening.
Since late October, both women have come forward to Naples Police detailing how Salata assaulted them while receiving cosmetic medical treatments at Pura Vida, according to officials.
One women told police she was given nitrous oxide, commonly known as laughing gas, to help with sedation and pain. But as the gas wore off, authorities said she realized Salata was having sex with her during the procedure.
Utterly appalled, she called police, who began an investigation and performed a sexual assault examination.
The second women subsequently came forward with a similar story of being sexually assaulted while sedated under Salata’s care, police said.
She told officers that he increased the dosage of laughing gas before raping her, NBC 2 News reported. The woman also suffered a bruise on her lip from where he kissed her.
Salata has been practicing medicine since the 1990s, obtaining a Florida medical license in 2013 and having no disciplinary actions on his record, according to the Florida Department of Health. Additionally, he’s had medical licenses in Minnesota and Maryland, where he also had no disciplinary actions nor malpractice suits, respective state records show.
Anyone with information on Salata or the case is asked to call the Naples Police Department at 239-213-3000.
This story was originally published November 22, 2022 at 6:16 PM.
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