A veteran Miami physician is behind bars after police say office video captured him raping a sedated patient during what was supposed to be a routine cosmetic procedure.
Dr. Ron DeMeo, 63, who runs Meridian Cosmetic and Meridian Spine, was arrested Wednesday night and later booked into the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center. The alleged assault took place Oct. 25 inside his West Brickell office in The Roads, according to an arrest report summarized by Local 10.
The 29-year-old patient told detectives that DeMeo instructed her to take a prescribed medication and inhale nitrous oxide for pain management before the in-office cosmetic procedure. A staff member also offered her a glass of wine, according to the arrest report. The woman said she recalls DeMeo closing the blinds, feeling herself being pushed down and briefly opening her eyes to see him over her body. She told officers she "did not have the strength to speak or fight back and just closed her eyes wanting the assault to end." Those details, along with police assertions that video shows the assault, are described in the reporting by Local 10.
Publicly, DeMeo promotes himself as a specialist in spine and cosmetic care. He lists Meridian Spine and Meridian Cosmetic as his practices. The Meridian Spine website shows the clinic at 2801 SW 3rd Avenue and advertises an on-site, Florida-certified operating room for outpatient procedures. The practice markets minimally invasive spine and cosmetic services and features patient testimonials under DeMeo’s name, a polished image that now sits in stark contrast to the criminal allegations laid out by investigators.
Charges and the law
Authorities say the incident is being investigated as sexual battery involving a victim who was "physically helpless." Under Florida law, "physically helpless" means a person is unconscious, asleep or otherwise physically unable to communicate unwillingness to an act, including when the person is incapacitated by drugs or anesthetics that were administered without consent. The statutory language appears in the Florida Statutes.
Arrest, booking and next steps
DeMeo has been charged with three counts of sexual battery on a victim who is physically helpless. Police say a detective executed a search warrant at his office, then arrested him at about 8:50 p.m. on Wednesday. Miami-Dade corrections records show he was booked shortly before 12:50 a.m. on Thursday.
Miami-Dade County Circuit Judge Ariel Rodriguez was set to preside over the case, and detectives have asked anyone with information to contact Miami-Dade County Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477, according to Local 10. Prosecutors will review the arrest report along with any supporting evidence as they decide whether to formally file charges in court.
Investigators say the case hinges in large part on the documentation and video referenced in the arrest report, which they describe as central to the decision to move forward with the arrest. This story will be updated as court filings and official statements become public.
