The Coronado dentist accused of treating patients even after his licensed was revoked called claims he was taking patients to Tijuana "crazy."
That's according to the declaration in support of the arrest warrant now on file in San Diego Superior Court.
Robert Mansueto was arrested at the San Ysidro port of entry Wednesday, after a judge signed the warrant for his arrest.
Mansueto pleaded not guilty to a total of 11 counts including practicing dentistry without a license, treating the sick/afflicted without a certificate and practicing dentistry under a false name.
Patients told Team 10 in an investigation last April that Mansueto was using the name "Dr Bob Franco".
The arrest warrant outlines several of the accusations made by patients and prospective patients to Team 10. Those same witnesses were interviewed by investigators with the California Board of Dentistry.
The document says an investigator posed as a patient, contacting Mansueto by calling the phone numbers listed in an advertisement in the San Diego Reader. Mansueto arranged for the woman to meet him at his home in Coronado. The plan was for Mansueto to drive the patient to a dental clinic in Tijuana.
The investigator brought along a "friend" for her appointment with Mansueto April 13th. According to the warrant, the investigator posing as a patient asked Mansueto if he was going to look in her mouth. "Mansueto said no and went upstairs" according to the document.
The investigator told Mansueto that she was "extremely nervous" and the warrant claims Mansueto offered to give her a tranquilizer. She made an excuse not to take it.
The three people waited for another patient to arrive. As they waited, the warrant says Mansueto told the second undercover investigator he could take her to Mexico where another doctor could perform her procedure.
When Mansueto said it was time to leave for Mexico, the investigators created a ruse that a family emergency would prevent them from going.
Ten minutes after the two women left Mansueto's home, two dental board investigators knocked on Mansueto's door. When asked if he had been meeting patients at his home and taking them to Mexico to place dental implants, Mansueto stated "that is crazy."
Mansueto explained he owns a dental company called AmerOss and that he works for a tax consulting company for doctors and dentists. He also admitted to recruiting patients for dentists in Tijuana and said he gets commissions for doing so.
Mansueto denied advertising himself as Dr. Bob Franco, although that's the name on the business card he gave to patients who spoke to Team 10.
Mansueto is in the Central San Diego County Jail. His bail is set at $200,000.
His next hearing is set for July 18.
