(WXYZ) — A local nurse who's already been accused of sexually victimizing patients at Detroit's Sinai-Grace Hospital is now facing new charges in a separate case.
Wilfredo Figueroa-Berrios was arraigned Thursday on charges in connection to the sexual assault of a 41-year-old woman in Detroit back in May.
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Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy says the defendant forced his way into a porta-potty, attacking a woman he knew.
He's charged with third and fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct in the case.
During a video arraignment inside 36th Disctrict Court, assistant prosecutor Grace Broughton dropped new disturbing allegations against Figueroa-Berrios.
“I think he is a threat to the community. I think that he needs to be nowhere near a hospital," said Broughton. "This man does have a modus operandi; he victimizes victims who are vulnerable, in vulnerable states who come seeking help in the hospital," said Broughton.
Prosecutors have also charged him with multiple counts of criminal sexual conduct third and fourth-degree, saying he targeted victims back on August 18 at Detroit’s Sinai-Grace Hospital.
“This man is preying on vulnerable victims who come in seeking help, and he knows how to pick victims and that's why he is so dangerous," she said.
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A licensed nurse since 2012, he is behind bars. His attorney, debbie Schlussel, argued against his accusers' credibility, saying they were intoxicated and more.
"He works at emergency rooms where it is mostly populated by drug addicts, alcoholics and people who have severe mental illness ... a lot of them are delusional," said Schlussel.
She added, “The reason people are coming out of the woodwork, is that Simon Shaykhet of Channel 7 ... has been putting this story out all over the place, saying, 'oh,the police are looking for other victims,' so people are coming out of the woodwork. They're not credible."
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But prosecutors pushed back at the arraignment, hinting that there's more to come in terms of alleged victims speaking up.
“We have at least four more pending cases that I am personally reviewing. One with an incident as soon as August 24, 2025 ... furthermore there's another case from 2020 that I'm also reviewing out of Livonia," said Broughton.
Away from court, I asked Steve Dolunt, retired assistant Detroit police chief, for his perspective on the investigation and allegations of multiple victims.
"This individual has committed allegedly a few more CSCs. So you look at he’s a medial professional. Where else has he worked? Where’s he from? I’d contact those jurisdictions," said Dolunt.
Figueroa-Berrios was first arraigned last week. Records involving his prior history show Livonia police investigated him twice for other allegations, including those at a clinic.
Prosecutors are still reviewing one of those cases more than 3 years later.
The judge ordered a $100,000 cash surety bond for Figueroa-Berrios during Thursday's arraignment.
It's unknown how soon prosecutors could reveal more about their cases. In the meantime, the nurse will have an upcoming bond hearing to attempt to lower bond.
