Ortiz Sentenced to 190 Years for IV Tampering

Texas anesthesiologist Raynaldo Ortiz Jr. was sentenced to 190 years in federal prison for injecting heart-stopping drugs into IV bags, leading to the death of a fellow anesthesiologist and multiple cardiac emergencies. Ortiz was found guilty of ten counts, including tampering with consumer products and intentional adulteration of drugs. This occurred at Baylor Scott & White Surgicare in North Dallas, where several patients experienced severe medical complications in 2022. Ortiz had injected saline bags with a cocktail of drugs, which were then used in surgeries by his colleagues, causing dangerous complications. Chief U.S. District Judge David Godbey condemned Ortiz's actions as 'tantamount to attempted murder.' Ortiz's defense argued that the prosecution did not sufficiently investigate other staff members who handled the bags.