A former Detroit nurse will spend years behind bars for sexually assaulting a patient — and prosecutors say this is just the beginning.
A judge sentenced Wilfredo Figueroa-Berrios to 10 to 15 years in prison. But the disgraced healthcare worker still faces seven other criminal cases involving similar allegations.
See the full story in the video below
Figueroa-Berrios kept his head down as Judge Donald Knapp Jr. handed down the sentence of 10 to 15 years for third-degree criminal sexual conduct and 12 months to two years for fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct.
"A nurse is put in a position of profound trust," Knapp said. "Like a physician, we tell them things that are private, we see them when we're suffering, and we depend on them in difficult times. Mr. Figueroa-Berrios violated that position of trust and did not see the victim as a person in need of care and treatment but rather as an object who could satisfy his sexual desires," Knapp continued.
Last month, a jury convicted Figueroa-Berrios of third- and fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct involving a female patient. Prosecutors argued he targeted the victim while she was intoxicated, waiting until they were alone to assault her.
Before sentencing, the victim addressed Figueroa-Berrios directly, pleading for the maximum possible sentence, which she ultimately got. We are not showing her face or using her name to protect her privacy.
"He is a predator of the worst kind. What he did to me was not a mistake and it was not one bad night," the victim said. "What you did to me and what the hospital let you do over and over to women who came there and needed help, I will never be able to understand," she continued.
Defense attorneys pushed for a seven-year sentence, pointing out that the jury acquitted Figueroa-Berrios on three other counts. When given the chance to speak, the defendant broke down in tears, maintaining his innocence and his commitment to his former career as a nurse.
"I have performed amazing things. I have made a difference between life and death in so many souls. All of this is now gone because I have been found guilty of a crime I did not commit," Figueroa-Berrios said.
Despite his denial, this conviction may only be the first. Figueroa-Berrios is charged with sexually assaulting seven other women, most of whom were also patients at Sinai-Grace. More than a dozen women have filed civil lawsuits against him and the hospital.
In a previous statement, Sinai-Grace says it prioritizes the safety of its patients and acted appropriately when concerns were brought to its attention, including notification of law enforcement.
Figueroa-Berrios has pre-trial hearings for the remaining cases in November. Trial dates for two of those cases are scheduled for February and April of next year.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
