Former Doctor who Stole Surgical Equipment Gets 2 Years in Jail

A 46-year-old Los Alamitos man pleaded guilty today to stealing surgical equipment from Fountain Valley Regional Hospital and was immediately sentenced to two years in jail.

Roy Chi Wing Lung, a former doctor, pleaded guilty to a felony count second-degree burglary. Another felony count of second-degree burglary was dismissed, along with a misdemeanor count of disorderly conduct, according to court records.

Lung had his medical license revoked in March 2009, according to state medical board records.

The thefts started May 19, 2013, Fountain Valley police Lt. Ken Hounsley said at the time of the defendant's arrest in August.

Lung came to the hospital in July in medical scrubs and a wig, but an employee recognized him as a suspect police were seeking, Hounsley said. The employee notified security guards, who called police.

Lung was arrested as he was driving away from the hospital.

Police searched Lung's home and found a stash of stolen surgical equipment, Hounsley said.

In a December 2008 hearing, the medical board sought to have Lung disciplined because of two prior convictions for practicing medicine while his license was suspended and "repeated negligent acts in connection with the care and treatment of two patients," according to state records.

Lung pleaded no contest Nov. 12, 2004, in Los Angeles Superior Court to grand theft and possession of stolen property, both misdemeanors. He was put on probation for three years, sentenced to time served in jail, four days, and ordered to perform 200 hours of community service and to pay $5,494.50 in restitution to Long Beach Memorial, according to state records.

On June 29, 2004, and July 6, 2004, Lung took two computers and a computer bag and possessed another physician's parking sticker at Long Beach Memorial, according to state records.

When Lung completed the terms of probation early, his conviction was set aside, according to state records.

Lung has been seen at other hospitals wearing scrubs, according to the state records.

In December 2007, a nurse at Orange Coast Memorial Medical Center in Fountain Valley confronted Lung, who identified himself as Dr. Lin while declining to produce identification and refusing to wait for security, according to state records. The nurse said his "pockets were puffed," according to the records.

On Jan. 11, 2008, Lung was at Orange Coast again wearing scrubs and a fleece jacket with the hospital's insignia on it, which is not allowed by those not on staff, according to the records. When an executive confronted him, Lung refused to identify himself and claimed he had a right to be there because he was a physician, according to state records.

The executive kept Lung there until Fountain Valley police arrived. Lung told police he was "resting" in the doctors' lounge and had privileges at the hospital about 10 years earlier, according to the records.

Lung said he had been going to the hospital about once a week for about 10 years to use the shower and sleep, and had taken hospital supplies, which he later used or sold, according to the records in his disciplinary hearing.

Lung pleaded guilty in September 2010 to resisting a peace officer and obstructing a business, both misdemeanors, and was placed on three years of informal probation, which was set to expire in September of last year, according to court records.

Lung was also accused of continuing to practice at a physical therapy office in Pomona while his license was suspended.

Medical board officials also faulted his emergency room care that led to the deaths of two patients in 2002 and 2003.

Lung earned a bachelor of science degree in bioengineering from UCLA in June 1989, graduated from the University of Texas, San Antonio, medical school in May 1993 and completed graduate training at UC Irvine in June 1996.

--City News Service