A San Jacinto man posed as a hospital employee at three different hospitals and stole $300,000 worth of skin grafts and surgical equipment from secure areas.
Jason Brauner, 47, was arrested on August 6. He remains in custody at the John Benoit Detention Center in Indio, with bail set at $100,000.
He is currently facing charges of grand theft, receiving stolen property, and burglary. He pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The National Organ Transplant Act of 1984 makes it illegal to buy, sell, or trade human tissues in the United States.
Skin grafts, coming from the patients themselves or deceased donors, are typically used to replace missing or damaged skin following a severe burn. Those undergoing reconstructive surgery may also require skin grafts.
Ashley Davis, who heads the communications department at the American Association of Tissue Banks, said it’s “very rare” for people to steal skin crafts and that she can’t imagine who would be interested in buying them.
According to an affidavit, Brauner had been selling stolen goods on OfferUp and Facebook. Fearing he would use the funds to post bail and flee, the judge increased his bail from $50,000 to $100,000.
On July 5, an Eisenhower Health employee spotted an unfamiliar man behaving suspiciously in Rancho Mirage. When she confronted him, he claimed a janitorial supervisor had given him permission.
Surveillance footage from the previous day showed Brauner entering the hospital wearing a surgical mask and blue scrubs.
According to the affidavit, the man lingered outside the operating room where boxes of skin grafts were stored, appearing to wait for employees to open the security doors so he could slip inside.
The man was holding a trash bag, which he later put in the trunk of his vehicle before leaving.
The security director told authorities he believed the person was Brauner, who used to work at the hospital as an employee.
The deputy later obtained Brauner’s cell phone number and used cell tower data to track his movements.
On August 6, his vehicle was spotted at Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach. Security footage confirmed that a man had stolen medical equipment.
A black Lexus with Utah plates was later seen near the hospital, which was later traced to San Jacinto.
The next day, authorities tracked Brauner to Del Mar, where deputies took him into custody.
The stolen medical equipment was later found in the Lexus.
Brauner was also connected to medical equipment thefts in Utah, Loma Linda, and Nevada.
