A woman who allegedly posed as a medical doctor and performed illegal abortions at her South Bay clinic was charged Friday with 10 felony counts, including performing medical procedures without a license and grand theft.

Bertha Pinedo Bugarin, 48, operated six abortion clinics in Southern California, advertising one of her clinics on Spanish-language television in San Diego.

Prosecutors allege Bugarin personally performed abortions on several women at a clinic on Broadway in Chula Vista during February and March of last year.

"This defendant preyed on women in the Hispanic community," said District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis. "By passing herself off as a doctor, she put these women's lives in serious danger."

At least nine South Bay women have come forward and identified Bugarin as the person who performed surgical and/or medical procedures on them, prosecutors said.

The women also told prosecutors she gave them prescription drugs. They said one of her patients suffered severe complications and had to be hospitalized three times. The woman eventually gave birth prematurely, and the baby died after three hours.

Another patient paid $500 for an abortion, but had to return to the office for a second procedure because the first one was unsuccessful, prosecutors alleged.

Bugarin was scheduled to be arraigned Friday but had that put off until July 2.

She is being held on $500,000 bail and faces more than nine years in prison if convicted, prosecutors said.

Anyone who believes they may have been a victim of Bugarin's or has information concerning the case was asked to call the California Medical Board at (858) 467-6830.