Authorities are concerned that an identify theft suspect talked his way into surgical jobs without having the proper qualifications. Eric Leonard reports for the NBC4 News at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 12, 2019.
A man who worked as a surgical assistant has been arrested on suspicion of stealing identities, financial data, and money from employees and patients while working at several Los Angeles area hospitals, law enforcement sources told NBCLA.
James Shannon, also known as James Sannon and other aliases, was being held in lieu of $1.1-million bail. He was booked Tuesday afternoon by LAPD financial crimes detectives, according to police records.
Shannon, 36, is suspected of stealing from, "his neighbors, co-workers, and others," according to a social media post by the LAPD.
At the time of the alleged offenses in LA Shannon was wanted on a felony identity theft case in San Bernardino County, where he was accused of using a stolen ID to try to lease an apartment, according to the Chino Police Department.
That case followed an identity theft report at San Antonio Community Hospital in Rancho Cucamonga in 2017, where Shannon worked as a contract surgical assistant. He was terminated as soon as an identity theft allegation was made, according to a hospital spokesman.
San Bernardino County prosecutors filed charges in the apartment lease case in April 2018, but Shannon failed to appear in court, and police did not arrest him again.
Before working at San Antonio Hospital Shannon had already served prison time in California. He admitted in 2013 to being a felon in possession of a gun and was sentenced to three years. In 2012 Shannon pleaded no contest to a felony burglary case, according to LA County Superior Court records.
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Authorities in San Bernardino County confirmed Wednesday the James Shannon arrested by the LAPD is the same individual who was the subject of the 2018 prosecution.
The LA hospitals where Shannon reportedly worked were unaware of the investigation when contacted by NBC.
LAPD detectives asked for assistance from the public in gathering more information about the case, including other places Shannon may have worked, other names he may have used, and other places he's lived. Anyone with information was asked to call the Commercial Crimes unit at (213) 486-8430.
