Fake Doctor Who Claimed He Could Treat HIV Convicted

A man who initially claimed that he was a doctor who could treat HIV was convicted, according to 10 News.

Keith Barton, 51, posed as a doctor and told people he could cure cancer and HIV. He was convicted of ten felony counts, including practicing medicine without a license and grand theft. He also faces between seven and ten years in prison. "He held himself out as a doctor, when he's not a doctor - he's not licensed - and he provided treatments, and he sold a remedy that was a 'snake oil', for lack of a better term, for substantial amounts of money, $18,000 to one victim and $13,000 to another victim," said Deputy District Attorney Gina Darvas.

"He also prescribed treatments that were harmful and dangerous and the victims suffered some tragic results." Darvas confirmed that Barton's routine included taking his patients to Mexico to receive some treatments and putting them up at a hotel in San Ysidro. Prosecutor told jurors that the defendant advertised himself as Dr. Barton on the Internet and promised to cure a woman and her children of HIV. One of the children, a nine-year old girl, subsequently died as a result of not receiving effective treatment.

Likely, a 60-year old woman had her teeth and part of her jaw removed after going to see the defendant for auto-immune disease. Authorities confirmed that Barton is indeed not a licensed doctor but shares his first and last name with a real medical doctor who is licensed in the state of California. Barton used the fact to create an impression that he was the same person. "Treating people who have serious life-threatening diseases with ineffective remedies is a dangerous practice," Darvas said.