LOS ANGELES –  When Department of Consumer  Affairs investigators  received a tip that a former physician and his wife were practicing medicine without a license, they went undercover to find out what was taking place.

On May 7, 2015, that investigation lead to the arrest of  Jose Alfredo Martinez,60 and his wife Emma Haydee Gonzalez, 43, both  from Downey, for the unlicensed practice of medicine.   Investigators received a tip that Martinez, a former physician who lost his license in 2005, was practicing medicine without a license. Investigators posed as patients and received treatments during their visits with Martinez.  The investigation also revealed that Gonzalez was illegally administering injections and providing prescriptions to patients.

"Patients put their trust in their physicians and practicing medicine without a license is beyond deceitful, it's potentially dangerous and or deadly," said Alan Barcelona,  president of the California Statewide Law Enforcement Association (CSLEA).

In addition to the felony charges of practicing medicine without a license, Martinez, has been charged with probation violations.   According to jail website records, both are scheduled to appear in Downey Municipal Court on June 1,  2015.

The investigation into Martinez and Gonzalez was conducted by the Health Quality Investigations Unit within the California Department of Consumer Affairs’ Division of Investigation as part of its ongoing Operation Safe Medicine.

Martinez’s 2005 revocation records can be found here.