SAN DIEGO -- A woman who allegedly posed as a physician and performed illegal abortions at her South Bay clinic pleaded not guilty Thursday to 10 felony counts, including performing medical procedures without a license and grand theft.

Bertha Pinedo Bugarin, 48, is also charged with one misdemeanor count of dispensing dangerous drugs without a prescription. She faces nine years in prison if convicted.

Superior Court Judge David Szumowski allowed the defendant to remain free on previously posted $500,000 bail. A readiness conference was scheduled for Oct. 1 and a preliminary hearing for Oct. 14.

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

The defendant operated a total of six abortion clinics in Southern California, advertising one of her clinics on Spanish-language television in San Diego, according to the District Attorney's Office.

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 allege. The women also claim she gave them prescription drugs.

One of her patients suffered severe complications and had to be hospitalized three times, according to the prosecution. 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.