Shasta County DA's Office says more people have come forward in illegal Botox case

The attorney representing a Redding doctor accused in a case involving illegal Botox treatments could ask the judge next month to dismiss the charges against his client.

On Tuesday, defense attorney John Kucera said in Shasta County Superior Court he will file a demurrer asking the case be dismissed or for prosecutors to amend the complaint against Dr. Larry Richard Pyle.

Judge Cara Beatty set a court date for Feb. 11 to consider Kucera's motion.

Pyle is accused of helping Susan Ann Tancreto, the Redding woman who the District Attorney's Office alleges posed as a nurse while she gave Botox injections to at least three people.

But on Tuesday, the DA's office said it is looking into the claims from a dozen more people, who have come forward since the charges became public last week, to say they received treatments from Tancreto. Those people called the District Attorney's Office and the Department of Consumer Affairs, said Anand “Lucky” Jesrani, a Shasta County prosecutor.

“So we are investigating those claims,” he said.

Pyle's arraignment was continued from last week, but again on Tuesday, he did not enter a plea.

Tancreto, 60, pleaded not guilty last Thursday to felony charges, including battery with serious bodily injury. She was in court Tuesday with her attorney, Joe Gazzigili, but she politely declined to comment afterwards.

Pyle, a family practice physician, is charged with aiding and abetting Tancreto, including selling Botox to her.

After Tuesday's court appearance, Kucera said the DA’s office has announced multiple charges against his client but nothing specific.

When asked about the charge that Pyle sold Botox to Tancreto, Kucera said, “But that’s not what the complaint says.”

Jesrani said his office is confident in the complaint it has filed against Pyle.

“We believe the complaint is adequately plead,” Jesrani said after Tuesday’s court appearance. “I haven’t seen his demurrer yet, so we will see what he argues and we will argue our position.”

Both Tancreto and Pyle have been released on their own recognizance.

Tancreto and Pyle were arrested last Wednesday morning after an investigation by the California Department of Consumer Affairs and U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The Shasta County DA's office has said some of the injections Tancreto administered caused "severe injury and significant facial deformities to victims, who now require long-term medical treatment."

Tancreto was giving the treatments at Bellissima Salon and Day Spa in Redding, and at her home and the homes of clients, Jesrani has said.

A hairdresser at the spa said last week Trancreto hadn't worked there for months.

Charges have not been filed against the spa.

“From what we have seen, there’s nothing from our office to warrant the filing of charges against Bellissima,” Jesrani said.

The DA's office alleges Tancreto told her customers she was a nurse who worked for Pyle, despite the fact she does not have a medical doctor or nurse's license, and she has never possessed such licenses.

For his part, Pyle did not examine the individuals who were receiving the Botox injections from Tancreto and other treatments to ensure they were appropriate candidates, the DA's office alleges.

Investigators also allege Tancreto offered, sold, furnished or gave away controlled substances such as Norco, Valium and Tramadol.

Records kept by the Medical Board of California show Pyle has had past disciplinary actions taken against him.

In February 2016, the board placed his license on probation due to accusations involving a female patient.

Among the terms of Pyle's probation were that he must have a third-party chaperone present when examining or treating female patients, including minors, the board documents say.

In 2016, Pyle was told to surrender his medical license in New York.

READ:New mobile mental health service dispatched to help people who are at the breaking point

READ:Shasta Dam raising project runs into legal, congressional roadblocks