by Sam Rutherford

The New Mexico Corrections Department (NMCD) has long outsourced its constitutional obligation to provide prisoners adequate medical care to private, for-profit corporations with little incentive to do so. Before November 2019, a $41 million annual contract was held by Centurion Correctional Healthcare of New Mexico, LLC, which lost a battle to withhold documentation of legal settlements when PLN’s publisher prevailed in a suit for the records on September 16, 2024, as reported elsewhere in this issue. [See: PLN, Dec. 2024, p.19.]

Quickly growing since its 2011 founding, Centurion and related companies contract with local, state and federal governments in 15 states at 325 lockups. When Centurion took over healthcare for NMCD in June 2016, predecessor Corizon Health had been sued by state prisoners more than 150 times during its nine-year tenure. Another 24 suits were filed during Centurion’s first year, as PLN reported. [See: PLN, Nov. 2018, p.60.]

As PLN also reported, the Human Rights Defense Center (HRDC), nonprofit publisher of PLN and Criminal Legal News, filed a request pursuant to the New Mexico Inspection of Public Records Act in August 2020 that Centurion disclose all complaints and settlement agreements for cases in which the company paid more than $1,000 to prisoners or their families, beginning in 2010. [See: PLN, Jan. 2022, p.34.] Centurion refused to disclose the requested records, so HRDC sued to obtain them and won.

When the requested records were finally released to HRDC, Centurion declared its intent to appeal the trial court’s ruling and threatened to “hold HRDC accountable” should it “share, publish, or report on these confidential settlement agreements, or their contents, during the pendency of this litigation.” But this is not the first time HRDC has successfully sued Centurion to obtain records related to the substandard and often fatal care it provides to prisoner-patients, and it is not the first time PLN has published the contents of such records. Nor is this the first time Centurion has attempted to silence its chief critic. In fact, Centurion sued HRDC in Florida’s Putnam County in 2022, asking the court to declare that HRDC cannot legally seek records related to the type of care it provides to Florida prisoners. That case remains pending, as PLN reported. [See: PLN, Jan. 2024, p.1.]

The following synopsis of the settlement agreements Centurion has disclosed to date in the New Mexico public records case reveals an abysmal track record. During its brief 40-month tenure as NMCD medical contractor, Centurion paid out over $8,396,751.00 to settle 47 claims—including 13 cases where prisoners died.

Wrongful Death Settlements

Eugene Gonzales

In 2019, 76-year-old Eugene Gonzales was confined in the geriatric unit of Central New Mexico Correctional Facility (CNMCF) in Los Lunas. Centurion medical staff were aware that he had high blood pressure and high cholesterol, was an insulin dependent diabetic and had an increased risk of heart disease. On June 3, 2019, he had a heart attack and sought help from the prison’s infirmary, where Centurion Nurse Elaine Jimenez was on duty. Although Gonzales was in extreme pain, clutching his chest and gasping for air, Jimenez told him to return to his cell and sign up for sick call the next day. The following morning, a fellow prisoner found Gonzales lethargic and in pain. Guards transported him by wheelchair to the infirmary, where a different nurse immediately called 911. But shortly after transport to a local hospital, Gonzales died of a massive heart attack.

His family filed suit in federal court against Centurion and Jimenez, making constitutional and state law claims. On December 14, 2022, Centurion settled for $1.75 million. Gonzales’ estate was represented by Albuquerque attorneys Matthew E. Coyte of Coyte Law P.C. and Steven R. Allen of New Mexico Prison and Jail Project. See: Baker v. Jimenez, USDC (D.N.M.), Case No. 2:22-cv-00071. According to the New Mexico Board of Nursing, Jimenez holds an active RN license and was never disciplined for professional misconduct.

David Vigil

Arriving at CNMCF from a county jail on April 28, 2017, David Vigil complained of daily headaches and reported blurred/double vision and hearing loss, weakness in his legs, tingling or numbness and back pain. Centurion staff knew or should have known that he had a history of a seizure disorder, Hepatitis C, poly-substance abuse, depression, Hypertension, epilepsy, Insulin-dependent Diabetes Mellitus, Cerebrovascular Accident and diabetic neuropathy in both feet. He was also suffering from acute opiate withdrawal and had been prescribed Fluoxetine and Mirtazapine for anxiety and depression and Oxcarbazepine for epilepsy.

Vigil was frail and barely able to walk when first seen by Centurion staff. Yet he was referred to a psychiatrist, not a medical doctor, and advised to continue his current medications. His condition deteriorated rapidly; he lost 15 pounds in one week. On May 15, 2017, he complained of extreme neck pain and requested stronger medications. After Centurion Dr. Barry J. Beaven administered three doses of Narcan, the prisoner went into cardiac arrest. He was transported to a hospital, where he was diagnosed with a large epidural abscess that spanned the entire cervical spine. Despite efforts to eradicate this infection, Vigil never recovered. He was transferred to hospice care on July 7, 2017, and died that same day.

The prisoner’s family sued Centurion in state court for failing to properly diagnose and treat his infection. The suit claimed that Centurion should have known that Vigil’s history of drug abuse and compromised immune system put him at high risk of developing serious infections. The suit also alleged that Dr. Beaven negligently administered excessive doses of Narcan. Centurion settled the case for $717,000 on April 15, 2019, also paying one-third of mediation fees. Plaintiffs were represented by Albuquerque attorneys Terry R. Guebert, Elizabeth M. Piazza and Laura E. Horton of Guebert Bruckner Gentile P.C., as well as Parrish Collins of Collins & Collins, P.C. See: Vigil v. Centurion Corr. Healthcare of N.M., LLC, N.M. 1st Jud. Dist. (Santa Fe Cty.), Case No. D-101-CV-2018-00033. According to the New Mexico Medical Board, Dr. Beaven’s license to practice medicine lapsed on July 1, 2024; no public disciplinary actions were listed.

Gary Sugamosto

Gary Sugamosto, 69, was found by other prisoners at Lea County Correctional Facility (LCCF) in Hobbs around 11:00 a.m. on November 29, 2017, lying on his cell floor in his own feces. Guards ignored their pleas for help, so the prisoners lifted Sugamosto off the floor and cleaned him up in the shower. They then returned him to his bunk and continued pleading for assistance. Early the next day, around 12:30 a.m. on November 30, 2017, he was finally taken to the prison infirmary. But Centurion medical records did not indicate what treatment he received, if any, before he was returned to his cell around 2:00 a.m., barely able to walk. About 3:45 p.m. that afternoon, medical staff noted that Sugamosto was nauseous, vomiting and had suffered diarrhea for two days. He was transported to a hospital and diagnosed with septic shock. He died the next day on December 1, 2017.

Sugamosto’s estate sued Centurion, its behavioral health subsidiary, MHM Health Professionals, LLC, and several employees. On May 17, 2022, Centurion settled its part of the case for $650,000. The settlement did not resolve companion claims against The Geo Group, Inc., LCCF’s operator, and several guards. The estate is represented by attorneys Dennis K. Wallin and Alisa C. Lauer of Spencer Law Firm, LLC in Albuquerque. See: Hunt v. The Geo Group, Inc., N.M. 1st Jud. Dist. (Santa Fe Cty.), Case No. D-101-CV-2019-02969.

Centurion Dr. Jose Andrade-Barraza and Nurse Practitioner (NP) Kontasha Wise were named in the complaint. According to the state Medical Board, Dr. Andrade-Barraza holds an active medical license. He was previously reprimanded by the Board in September 2021 for the injudicious prescribing of medicine to family members. See: In re Andrade-Barraza, M.D., N.M Med. Bd., Case No. 2012-016. According to the state Board of Nursing, Wise has active RN and APRN-CNP licenses with no disciplinary history.

Keith Richard Kosirog

A pretrial detainee transferred to CNMCF from Quay County Jail in Tucumcari on August 3, 2018, Keith Richard Kosirog was a combat veteran of the United States Marine Corps with a long history of mental health problems, including Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Bipolar Disorder, Delusional Disorder and Alcoholic Abuse Disorder. Kosirog had also made suicide attempts but was receiving treatment through the Veterans Affairs hospital in Albuquerque prior to incarceration.

When arrested on July 26, 2018, the 39-year-old reported that terrorists were threatening him. But those threats could not be corroborated, so he was transferred to CNMCF for “safe keeping” while awaiting competency evaluation because of the apparent delusions. At intake, Centurion licensed social worker Marcia Esquibel noted his existing mental health issues and previous suicide attempts. Esquibel also noted that Kosirog was taking a 5-mg. daily dose of Haloperidol, 600 mg. of Lithium and 25 mg. of Lamictal twice daily. She recommended that Kosirog be placed on “one-on-one watch” and be seen by a mental health care provider.

But Kosirog was instead thrown in segregation, where he did not receive any additional supervision or treatment for over two months. Meanwhile he continued to deteriorate, showing signs of depression, anxiety and delusional/paranoid thinking. When finally seen by Centurion psychiatrist Dr. Anne Ortiz on October 5, 2018, she noted his critical mental health condition but also reduced his medications. Dr. Ortiz added a recommendation that he “continue” therapy, though he had not received any since his arrest. Meanwhile, his mental state continued a spiral downward, and his physical condition deteriorated. In fact, he lost over 30 pounds during his confinement. On December 2, 2018, a nurse and guard found Kosirog had fatally hanged himself from his cell window grate with yellow fabric. No one had checked on him in nearly two hours.

The detainee’s family sued the Quay County Jail, CNMCF and Centurion for failing to properly treat and supervise him. On November 11, 2019, Centurion settled the case for $500,000. The estate was represented by attorneys with Collins & Collins and Guebert Bruckner Gentile. See: Hetes v. Cen. N.M. Corr. Fac., N.M. 1st Jud. Dist. (Santa Fe Cty.), Case No. D-101-CV-2019-00113. The current status of Dr. Ortiz’s medical license was unclear.

Sheila T. Waterman Montoya

Forty-two-year-old Sheila T. Waterman Montoyahad been a NMCD prisoner since 2015 when, in early 2016, she reported severe, debilitating headaches that progressed to left-side weakness and neck pain. Her incarceration overlapped the transition from Corizon Health to Centurion, but neither medical staff provided treatment even after she was ultimately diagnosed with breast cancer. A hospital evaluated her in March 2016, and a radiologist found that the cancer had spread to her skin and lymph nodes. The radiologist wrote that prompt chemotherapy was required or “we will have a big problem on our hands.” A subsequent X-ray in April 2016 revealed that the prisoner had an enlarged heart and bilateral pleural effusions.

On April 28, 2016, Waterman Montoya was finally seen by an oncologist at the University of New Mexico (UNM) Hospital. Intake paperwork noted that she was a prisoner experiencing “delay in care up until now.” The hospital placed a catheter in her chest and began weekly doses of chemotherapy. Her condition improved significantly. However, in late June 2016, she developed a rash surrounding the catheter because prison medical staff failed to properly clean it. Despite obvious signs of infection, nothing was done and her condition worsened. On July 7, 2016, she was returned to the hospital, where doctors removed the catheter due to “gross signs of infection.” Admitted to ICU, Waterman Montoya died on July 20, 2016, of septicemia, a life-threatening infection that causes shock and organ failure.

Her family sued both Corizon Health and Centurion in state court, claiming that her death was entirely preventable had her catheter been clean or had she been transported to the hospital at the first sign of infection. Though she had cancer and delayed diagnosis, the suit pointed out that she was responding well to chemotherapy, and her prognosis was favorable. On January 25, 2019, Centurion settled the suit for $400,000, plus one-half of mediation fees. The estate was represented by attorney Marc W. Edwards of Edwards Law Firm, P.A., in Santa Fe. See: Montoya v. Corizon Health, Inc., N.M. 1st Jud. Dist. (Santa Fe Cty.), Case No. D-101-CV-2017-02838. The prison medical personnel blamed for Waterman Montoya’s inadequate medical care were not named in the complaint, so PLN was unable to research their license status.

Daniel Peralta

A NMCD prisoner from his 2013 sentencing until his release on May 23, 2017, Daniel Peralta was incarcerated briefly at CNMCF before transfer to LCCF and then, for the last two months of his sentence, to the Penitentiary of New Mexico (PNM) in Santa Fe. Identified as a “chronic care patient” because he tested positive for Hep-C and exhibited signs of hypertension, he was under the care of Drs. David Birnbaum and Bruce Boynton, along with Physician Assistant (PA) Sidney England and NP Kim Janetzky, as they all moved from Corizon Health to Centurion with the NMCD contract.

Though Hep-C patients are prone to kidney disease, there are simple, routine blood tests to detect it early. Medical staff ordered these tests for Peralta over the course of his incarceration. The results indicated kidney damage. But that was not communicated to him. As he repeatedly reported symptoms that corresponded to kidney disease, Birnbaum, Boynton, England and Janetzky documented his complaints but did not intervene.

On October 20, 2016, Peralta was transported to a hospital with sepsis secondary to cellulitis. He remained there four days until the infection cleared. Hospital doctors also noted an unresolved kidney injury which required follow-up care, but the prisoner received none when returned to LCCF. Peralta’s condition continued to worsen, and after release from prison he went to an emergency room, where he was diagnosed with end-stage kidney failure. He began receiving dialysis three times per week and died waiting for a kidney transplant on August 5, 2020. He was 34.

Peralta’s estate sued Corizon Health and Centurion, plus their employees, alleging that failure to provide prompt treatment for his Hep-C and related kidney disease caused his otherwise preventable death. On May 7, 2021, Centurion and MHM Health Professionals settled the case for $300,000 in both cash and annuities, the latter to benefit Peralta’s two children when they reach the age of majority. The estate was represented by attorneys Paul J. Kennedy, Jessica M. Hernandez, Elizabeth A. Harrison and Henry A. Jones of Kennedy, Hernandez & Associates, P.C. in Albuquerque. See: Ray v. Centurion Corr. Healthcare of N.M., LLC, N.M. 2nd Jud. Dist. (Bernalillo Cty.), Case No. D-202-CV-2019-05726.

According to the state Medical Board, Dr. Birnbaum’s medical license is still valid and active, while Dr. Boynton’s lapsed in 2022. Both doctors listed business addresses outside New Mexico, Birnbaum’s in Oklahoma and Boynton’s in Texas. England surrendered his PA license in 2017 in lieu of a hearing after evidence established “incompetence to practice, interactions with patients that could adversely affect patient care, injudicious prescribing, failure to comply with Board regulations, and conduct likely to cause harm,” according to an order filed in February 2018. See: In re England, P.A., N.M. Med. Bd., Case No. 2017-041. None of this misconduct stemmed from England’s employment with Centurion, but it appears that he worked for the company while under investigation. He is eligible to restore his license with conditions but has not attempted to do so. According to the state Board of Nursing, Janetzky holds active RN and APRN-CNP licenses with no record of discipline.

Jennifer Harris Hopkins

Beginning in February 2016, Jennifer Harris Hopkins was confined at New Mexico Women’s Correctional Facility (NMWCF), then located in Grants. She had been diagnosed in 2008 with Celiac Disease, a serious autoimmune disorder that requires routine medical care and a specialized diet. But she did not receive treatment and experienced frequent vomiting, diarrhea, anal bleeding, anemia, intense abdominal pain, malnutrition and bloating to the point where she appeared pregnant. She submitted multiple kites and grievances raising these issues, begging medical staff: “HELP ME.” Her pleas went ignored.

Hopkins was taken to a hospital on several occasions for dehydration, vomiting, bleeding, bloating and extreme pain. Doctors there noted her diagnosis and that she had relatives who died from Celiac Disease. But after return to NMWCF, she did not receive proper care each time. Her condition continued to deteriorate; over the course of several months she lost over 30 pounds. She was disoriented and in extreme pain when she went into respiratory distress on September 7, 2016. But medical staff did not transport her to a hospital, sending her instead to CNMCF. Only then was she transferred to UNM Hospital, where she died on September 16, 2016, aged 38.

Her estate sued Corizon Health and Centurion, among others, alleging her wrongful death resulted from the refusal to properly treat her Celiac Disease. On July 30, 2018, Centurion settled its share of the claims for $280,000. The estate was represented by Albuquerque attorneys Matthew L. Garcia and Jonathan J. Guss. See: Korte v. Corizon Health, Inc., N.M. 1st Jud. Dist. (Santa Fe Cty.), Case No D-101-CV-2018-01141. Again, the complaint did not name medical providers allegedly responsible, so PLN was unable to research their license status.

Efrain Perez Martinez

Efrain Perez Martinez, 39, was confined at PNM in September 2018, when he submitted a series of health services request forms complaining to Centurion staff that he suffered from intense heartburn, which was not ameliorated by over-the-counter medication. By the time he saw a PA on October 8, 2018, he had lost weight and was visibly ill—so lethargic that he could barely walk—yet the PA gave him only Tums. The prisoner’s condition did not improve, his face still pale, his cheeks dramatically sunken, his body mass shrunken. By November 23, 2018, he was barely eating and vomiting whenever he did. He also experienced extreme chest pain, but his requests for help went ignored.

On November 26, 2018, Martinez collapsed in his housing unit and was transferred to the infirmary. He was vomiting yellow liquid and had not eaten in four days. Two days later, on November 28, 2018, he was taken to a hospital, where he died of infective endocarditis 45 days later, on January 11, 2019. His estate sued Centurion and several employees in both state and federal court, alleging that they ignored obvious signs he was suffering from a serious medical condition and that their failure to properly treat him lead to his otherwise preventable death.

The federal court for the District of New Mexico denied Defendants’ motion to dismiss Plaintiff’s Eighth and Fourteenth Amendment claims on June 16, 2023. See: Mathis v. Centurion Corr. Healthcare of N.M., LLC, 2023 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 104921 (D.N.M.). Centurion then settled both cases for $275,000 on March 20, 2024. The estate was represented by attorneys with Collins & Collins and Guebert Gentile & Piazza, P.C. in Albuquerque. See: Mathis v. Centurion Corr. Healthcare of N.M., LLC, USDC (D.N.M.), Case No. 1:22-cv-00020; and N.M. 1st Jud. Dist. (Santa Fe Cty.), Case No. D-101-CV-2020-00488.

Centurion medical providers named in the suits were Dr. Gary French, PA Ellen Wittman, and Registered Nurse (RN) Erin Forsberg. According to the state Medical Board, Dr. French and PA Wittman have active medical licenses with no history of disciplinary action. The same is true of Forsberg’s RN license, according to the state Board of Nursing.

Ronny Pacheco

On November 28, 2021, Ronny Pacheco fatally hanged himself while in non-medical segregation at Bernalillo County’s Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC), where Centurion and its employees were responsible for medical and mental health treatment. Before his suicide, the 34-year-old had been screaming for someone to help him. But Centurion staff ignored his pleas—despite an intake screening form they completed just three days before that indicated he was at a high risk of suicide, not least due to his own admission that he was suicidal. His estate filed suit against Centurion and MHM Health Professionals, alleging that they failed to protect him from an obvious risk of suicide. On February 6, 2024, Centurion settled the case for $221,000.

The complaint noted that in-custody deaths at MDC had skyrocketed under Centurion’s watch: Eight prisoners died in just a five-month period in 2021, compared to 10 deaths during the preceding four years. On the day Pacheco died, so did another prisoner in medical observation. The complaint did not identify the prisoner nor a cause of death. But it blamed the spike in prisoner deaths on Centurion’s inadequate staffing and poor training protocols. Pacheco’s estate was represented by attorneys Laura Schauer Ives and Alyssa D. Quijano of Ives & Flores, PA in Albuquerque. See: Salazar v. Centurion Detention Health Services, LLC, N.M. 2nd Jud. Dist. (Bernalillo Cty.), Case No. D-202-CV-2021-06297.

Centurion medical staffers listed in the complaint were Dr. Pierre-Yves Rouzaud and Nurses Anthony Spencer and Alma Babbitt. The state Medical Board indicated that Dr. Rouzaud has an active medical license with no disciplinary history. The state Board of Nursing indicated that Spencer’s nursing license is also active with no history of discipline. There is no record that Babbitt ever held a New Mexico nursing license.

Jonathan Andrew Garcia

When Jonathan Andrew Garcia died of a heart attack at PNM on February 20, 2017, his chronic heart condition was well-known to NMCD and Centurion medical staff from diagnosis and treatment he received over the course of his imprisonment. In the days leading up to his death, Garcia experienced severe symptoms from his heart condition. But allegedly there was no medical staff available to evaluate him; he was also not getting his prescribed medications. Guards eventually decided to transport him to a local hospital, but he collapsed and died of a heart attack before he could make it out of the hospital parking lot. He had just turned 30.

Garcia’s estate sued NMCD, Centurion and various employees in both state and federal court for failing to provide the prisoner access to medical care prior to his death. On August 17, 2023, Centurion settled the case for $200,000. The estate was represented by attorney Joseph M. Romero of Albuquerque. See: Grano v. N.M., USDC (D.N.M.), Case No. 1:20-cv-00147; and Grano v. Penitentiary of N.M., N.M. 4th Jud. Dist. (San Miguel Cty.), Case No. D-412-CV-2019-00073. Centurion medical staffers listed in the complaints were Dr. Andrade-Barraza (see above) and RN Lorella Turpin. According to the state Board of Nursing, Turpin holds an active RN license with no disciplinary history.

Adonus R. Encinias

When incarcerated at CNMCF on February 21, 2018, Adonus R. Encinias was taking multiple psychotropic medications for mood disorders, including severe depression, and he was court-ordered to participate in the prison’s Residential Drug Abuse Program. In March 2018, he was seen by a prison psychiatrist who diagnosed substance abuse disorder along with anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and psychosis. The psychiatrist also noted that Encinias was experiencing anxiety, depression, irritability, visual and auditory hallucinations and insomnia. The psychiatrist’s treatment plan included both medication and participation in group therapy.

Centurion doctors failed to provide medication or counseling though. Encinias’ mental health continued to deteriorate over his nine months at CNMCF, resulting in 12 separate stints in segregation. With each trip to solitary, he became more suicidal, but his requests for help went ignored. Instead, he was transferred to the Northeast New Mexico Correctional Facility (NENMCF). There some Centurion staffers again recommended therapy, but Encinias was never enrolled. In May 2018, the prisoner repeatedly requested assistance from mental health staff, stating that he was depressed and suicidal. He was thrown in medical segregation and eventually transferred to Guadalupe County Correctional Facility (GCCF), where Centurion staffers again made note of his condition and the standing recommendation that he receive counseling. But no action was taken other than scheduling a follow-up evaluation in 180 days. Encinias continued submitting requests for help and to participate in court-ordered therapy without success until he was transferred back to CNMCF on June 5, 2018.

In July 2018, he became agitated when Centurion staff declared that he would not receive therapy at CNMCF, and he was placed on suicide watch. Medical staff could have referred Encinias to the Mental Health Treatment Center, NMCD’s psychiatric unit, where he would have access to therapy. But he was instead taken off suicide watch and was not seen by psychiatric staff—despite claiming to have a demon inside him—and on December 2, 2018, his corpse was found hanging in his cell. He was just 22.

Encinias’ family filed suit in state and federal court, alleging that Centurion and MHM Health Professionals failed to provide him with adequate mental health treatment which resulted in his suicide. On March 29 and October 17, 2022, Centurion entered into two settlement agreements to resolve the cases, agreeing to pay the estate a total of $150,001. Plaintiffs’ settlement was likely limited because their federal civil rights claims went nowhere; the federal court for the District of New Mexico ultimately granted Defendants qualified immunity on March 2, 2023, which the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit affirmed on October 3, 2024. See: Encinias v. N.M. Corr. Dep’t, 2024 U.S. App. LEXIS 25010 (10th Cir.).

The estate was represented by attorneys with Collins & Collins and Santa Fe attorney Richard A. Sandoval of the Sandoval Firm. See: Encinias v. N.M. Corr. Dep’t, USDC (D.N.M.), Case No. 1:21-cv-01145; and Encinias v. Cen. N.M. Corr. Facility, N.M. 1st Jud. Dist. (Santa Fe Cty.), Case No. D-101-CV-2019-00720.

Centurion staffers listed in the complaints included Dr. Andrade-Barraza, as well as Drs. Digna Christina Cruz-Grost, James Dillon and Javier Vera, plus social workers Marcia Esquivel and Tammy D. Ali-Carr. According to the state Medical Board, the doctors hold active medical licenses with no disciplinary history, except Dr. Andrade-Barraza (see above). PLN was unable to verify the license status, if any, of the social workers.

Norman Deherrera

In 2017, Norman Deherrera was a prisoner at Northwest New Mexico Correctional Facility (NWNMCF) in Grants. Centurion medical staffers knew that he had chronic insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and was receiving treatment with insulin and oral hypoglycemic drugs. But they prescribed and provided the wrong medication for his diabetes, causing diabetic peripheral neuropathy and chronic erosive Gastroesophageal reflux disease. Several of his toes became infected and had to be amputated. Following his release from prison, Deherrera filed suit against Centurion; the case was still pending when he died on May 22, 2021.

After the trial court allowed the medical malpractice suit to be converted to a wrongful death action, Centurion agreed to settle the case on December 21, 2022, paying $50,000 to Deherrera’s estate, which was represented by attorneys with Collins & Collins and Guebert Gentile & Piazza. See: Deherrera v. Centurion Corr. Healthcare of N.M., LLC, N.M. 1st Jud. Dist. (Santa Fe Cty.), Case No. D-101-CV-2020-02549. Centurion Dr. Beaven and Dr. Eduardo Castrejon were named in the complaint. Dr. Beaven’s license lapsed in July 2024 (see above). According to the state Medical Board, Dr. Castrejon has an active medical license with no disciplinary history.

Phillip Anthony Trujillo

A “long-term” prisoner at Southern New Mexico Correctional Facility (SNMCF) in Doña Ana County, Phillip Anthony Trujillo suffered mental health issues that were known to Centurion staffers, who also knew his required regular treatment and medication. But they allegedly failed to properly maintain, administer and monitor his treatments before he fatally hanged himself on December 2, 2016. He was 36.

After Trujillo’s estate sued Centurion and NMCD officials for his wrongful death, Defendants removed the case from state court to federal court in February 2019. Centurion then settled the suit on September 5, 2019, for $30,000. The estate was represented by Albuquerque attorney Dathan L. Weems. See: Romero v. State, USDC (D.N.M.), Case No. 2:19-cv-00108. The complaint named no Centurion employee whose license could be researched.

Medical Malpractice Settlements

Gabriel Miera

On December 3, 2018, while a prisoner at PNM, 32-year-old Gabriel Miera went to the infirmary complaining of extreme pain in his neck and upper back. Centurion medical staff provided muscle rub and over-the-counter pain medication. But Miera’s condition continued to deteriorate over the next month until he was confined to a wheelchair, reporting excruciating pain. Centurion staff allegedly failed to order medically necessary imagining and then falsified medical records to hide the seriousness of his condition. Medical staff also allegedly ignored clear evidence that he was suffering from a spinal epidural abscess.

Finally, on January 2, 2019, Miera was taken to a local hospital, where doctors quickly determined he had cervical osteomyelitis and epidural abscess. Cervical osteomyelitis is an infection in the cervical bone that requires surgery and strong intravenous antibiotics; an epidural abscess is an infection between the spinal bones and lining membrane of the spinal cord, which requires immediate antibiotics and often surgery to remove or drain the abscess. Doctors noted that Miera’s condition was serious due to “delayed diagnosis,” and that the infections “went largely unchecked given his incarceration status.”

The prisoner underwent several surgeries to eradicate the infection, which left him with severe mobility issues and pain. Hospital doctors recommended rehabilitative therapy and pain medication. After just 36 days under their care though, Miera was transferred to CNMCF. Centurion medical staff there failed to follow the hospital doctors’ aftercare plan. The prisoner was left with “significant motor and sensory deficits,” affecting his ability to walk or lift anything. When he was released from prison on December 15, 2021, his medical condition left him unable to find and maintain employment.

Miera sued Centurion and its employees for medical neglect and deliberate indifference to his serious medical needs in both state and federal court. On February 8, 2022, Centurion settled the cases for $487,500. Miera was represented by attorneys with Collins & Collins and Guebert Bruckner Gentile. See: Miera v. Centurion Corr. Healthcare of N.M., LLC, USDC (D.N.M.), Case No. 1:21-cv-01227; and N.M. 1st Jud. Dist. (Santa Fe Cty.), Case No. D-101-CV-2019-00989.

Centurion medical staff listed in the complaints included PA Wittman and Drs. Andrade-Barraza and French (see above). Also included were Dr. Benjamin Huang and Nurse Kathy Bustos. According to the state Medical Board, Dr. Huang has an active license with no disciplinary history, though he reportedly works now as a “Telemedicine Physician” in California. No records for Bustos were located on the New Mexico Board of Nursing website.

Andrew Robinson

In 2019, 25-year-old Andrew Robinson was imprisoned at LCCF, with a medical history of intravenous drug abuse that left him susceptible to infections, including osteomyelitis. Beginning on August 7, 2019, he reported significant back pain and difficulty with daily activities to Centurion staff. Despite clear warning signs that he suffered from a serious infection, he was allegedly instead treated like a “drug seeking malingerer.” Two months later, on October 8, 2019, he was finally taken to UNM Hospital for treatment of a severe infection. He remained there for 11 days before a transfer to the Long-Term Care Unit at CNMCF on October 19, 2019. However, Centurion staff there allegedly failed to provide proper follow-up care, and he was taken back to the hospital on November 10, 2019, after developing sepsis.

Following release from custody, Robinson sued Centurion in federal court for showing deliberate indifference to his serious medical needs. The complaint detailed Centurion’s long history of medical abuse, including reference to many of the cases outlined in this article, also citing Centurion’s practice of delaying taking prisoners to outside hospitals unless staffers believe that the prisoner will remain there for more than 24 hours—allegedly because its contact with NMCD does not require Centurion to pay for hospital stays exceeding 24 hours, creating a financial incentive to delay such transfers. The complaint also noted Centurion’s alleged practice of destroying medical records and concealing the names of its medical personnel.

Centurion settled the case on July 24, 2024, for $348,750. Robinson was represented by attorneys with Collins & Collins and the Sandoval Firm. See: Robinson v. Centurion Corr. Healthcare of N.M., LLC, USDC (D.N.M.), Case No. 1:22-cv-00748. The only Centurion employee directly involved in Robinson’s treatment who was named in his complaint was Nurse Aiste Chamblin. According to the state Board of Nursing, she holds active RN and APRN-CNP licenses with no disciplinary history. Other “Doe” medical providers were not identified, since Centurion settled the case prior to discovery.

Todd Jager

While Todd Jager was confined at SNMCF on May 31, 2016, another prisoner punched him in the face, shattering his left eye socket. Centurion medical staff delayed referring Jager to a hospital for evaluation and surgical treatment until December 1, 2016—seven months after his injury. The delay left surgeons only two options: They could refracture the bones in the prisoner’s face or install a facial implant to repair the injury. Both procedures involved substantial risk of complications. Having waited so long already, Jager refused to undergo either procedure, since he was scheduled for release in a few months. Following release, he underwent surgery, but doctors were not able to completely correct his disfigurement.

Jager filed suit in both state and federal court, alleging that his facial injuries were inadequately treated by Centurion staff, resulting in disfigurement and loss of his opportunity for a better outcome. Centurion settled the case for $262,500 on December 29, 2020. Jager was represented by attorneys Margaret Strickland and Mollie McGraw of McGraw & Strickland, LLC, in Las Cruces. See: Jager v. Centurion Corr. Healthcare of N.M., USDC (D.N.M.), Case No. 2:18-cv-00743; and N.M. 1st Jud. Dist. (Santa Fe Cty.), Case No. D-101-CV-2020-00358. Centurion staff named in the complaints included Drs. Andrade-Barraza and Castrejon (see above), as well as Nurses Sheri Pierce and Lilian A. Klinger. According to the state Board of Nursing, both have active RN licenses with no disciplinary history.

Randy Dunn

Paraplegic since a bout of spinal cancer in August 2010, former CNMCF nurse Randy Dunn was convicted on child sex abuse charges and imprisoned in its Long-Term Care Unit in February 2016. When he arrived, he could still sit up, turn over and remain in a chair or transfer himself to and from his wheelchair. Though he suffered from spasms, they were controlled by medication; he could also feed himself, bathe in a shower chair and perform other basic daily activities with little or no assistance.

When Centurion took over NMCD healthcare a few months after Dunn’s arrival, his medication was reduced and his catheter wasn’t cleaned—part of a pattern of failure to provide proper care that he blamed on being imprisoned where he once worked. Though he suffered severe, debilitating infections, he was generally ignored until his condition seriously deteriorated. On numerous occasions, he was left to lie in his own waste for days on end.

Dunn eventually developed sepsis from the unsanitary catheter. He also suffered from chronic constipation and fecal impact. Both conditions caused serious pain and discomfort. Yet Centurion medical staff again ignored his worsening condition for weeks, despite increasing fever. When finally transported to a hospital, Dunn had a fever of 107.2 degrees Fahrenheit and tachycardia; he was also spasmodic. Hospital doctors determined that his hips had undergone a destructive process caused by repeated and severe spasms which had completely eroded the necks of his femurs, fractured the femoral heads and left an infected pocket of fluid around the right femur. Infectious disease specialists treated him for a potentially deadly bone infection, and he had to undergo surgery to address the abscess. He also required surgery to remove bone fragments from his legs.

Dunn sued Centurion and its employees for medical negligence in state court, alleging that the inadequate care he received caused him severe pain, terrifying spasms, physical disfigurement and disability, as well as unnecessary hospitalizations, surgeries, life-threatening infections, anxiety, grief, terror and severe emotional distress. On June 15, 2020, Centurion settled the case for $220,000. Dunn was represented Albuquerque attorneys Ryan J. Villa, Richelle Anderson and Justine Fox-Young. See: Dunn v. Centurion Corr. Healthcare of New Mexico, LLC, N.M. 1st Jud. Dist. (Santa Fe Cty.), Case No. D-101-CV-2018-03288. Centurion medical personnel listed in the complaint were Dr. Beaven (see above) and Nurse Lindsey Selva; no licensing information or disciplinary records could be located for her.

Shelly Marler

In 2017, Shelly Marler was a prisoner at Springer Correctional Center (SCC) when she advised Centurion staffers that she had been experiencing abdominal pain for about 10 days. They noted that she had a history of Hep-C and diverticulitis, an inflammation or infection in one or more small pouches of the digestive tract. Despite this history, Marler was given only a laxative. Over the next several months, she continued experiencing gastrointestinal problems; by late-April 2017, she began throwing up, experiencing diarrhea and was unable to eat. But she still got nothing more than a laxative. Her condition worsened until her fever soared and she was barely able to stand. She was also experiencing significant abdominal pain. When she was finally transported to a local hospital, physicians there soon realized she had a ruptured colon and performed emergency surgery.

Five days later, Marler was transported back to prison with instructions to return to the hospital for post-operative care. But Centurion employees canceled the appointment and refused to transport her. Her incision then ruptured—during a sneeze—and her intestines fell out into her hands. She was returned to the hospital, where physicians observed that Centurion medical staff had not provided proper after-surgery care; as a result, Marler developed a significant infection, which is what caused her incision to rupture. She underwent two additional surgeries and then sued Centurion and several of its employees for medical malpractice in state court. On January 30, 2023, Centurion settled the case for $200,000. Marler was represented by attorneys with Coyte Law. See: Marler v. Centurion Corr. Healthcare of N.M., LLC, N.M. 8th Jud. Dist. (Colfax Cty.), Case No. D-809-CV-2019-00068.

Dr. Martin Trujillo and Nurses Dolores Romero and Shantelle Gallegos were the Centurion medical personnel listed in the complaint. According to the state Medical Board, Dr. Trujillo still has an active medical license. His only disciplinary action came in 1995, when his license was limited because of his history of substance abuse; those restrictions were lifted in 1999. See: In re Trujillo, M.D., N.M. Med. Bd., Case No. 95-005. The state Board of Nursing indicated that Romero and Gallegos have active RN licenses with no disciplinary history. Centurion administrative employee Anna Chavez was also named in the complaint, but there is no record of a medical license for her with either board.

Jose Varela

While incarcerated at Grants Prison on September 27, 2017, Jose Varela slipped on grease on the floor near the infirmary. Centurion medical staffers who treated him noted an obvious deformity to his right leg as a result of the fall. He was transported to a local hospital, where it was determined that he had a comminuted displaced fracture of the right patella (kneecap). Hospital doctors recommended an immediate follow-up with an orthopedic surgeon. But Centurion delayed a consultation for nearly two months. As a result, the knee healed incorrectly.

After release from prison, Varela underwent surgery in Texas, but it was not possible to fully restore his mobility. He filed suit in New Mexico state court, accusing Centurion of negligence in delaying orthopedic consultation and follow-up surgery. On December 14, 2020, Centurion settled the case for $130,000. Varela was represented by Espanola attorney Sheri A. Raphaelson. See: Varela v. Centurion Corr. Healthcare of N.M., LLC, N.M. 1st Jud. Dist. (Santa Fe Cty.), Case No. D-101-CV-2019-01789. The complaint named no Centurion employee whose license could be researched.

Gerald Wilson

Gerald Wilson was confined at GCCF on May 10, 2018, when he requested health services for extreme low back pain. He was transported to the infirmary in a wheelchair, but he received only Acetaminophen, a warm compress and advice to exercise. His condition continued to deteriorate, but he was not sent to a hospital for 54 days. When he was finally taken there on July 3, 2018, doctors found that he had a serious spinal infection resulting from IV drug use. Wilson underwent surgery, and a portion of his spine was fused.

For “permanent and debilitating spinal injuries” he suffered due to the delayed care, Wilson sued Centurion and its employees in state court for medical negligence. Centurion settled the case on March 31, 2021, for $125,000. He was another client of Collins & Collins and Guebert Bruckner Gentile. See: Wilson v. Centurion Corr. Healthcare of N.M., LLC, N.M. 1st Jud. Dist. (Santa Fe Cty.), Case No. D-101-CV-2019-00691. The only Centurion medical employee named in the complaint was Dr. Andrade-Barraza (see above).

Jerry Sisneros

Fifty-two-year-old Jerry Sisneros was confined at NWNMCF from October 2017 to April 3, 2018. Not long before his release, he complained to Centurion staff on March 16, 2018, of severe lower back pain and difficulty walking. He also reported burning dysuria, chills and nausea. His complaints went mostly ignored. When released from prison, he went immediately on April 4, 2018, to a hospital emergency room, where doctors discovered he had been suffering from severe spinal infections, or discitis. Sisneros spent his first 35 days of freedom in a hospital and nursing home as the infection was slowly brought under control.

He then sued Centurion and its employees for medical negligence. Centurion settled the case for $110,000 on February 11, 2021. Sisneros was represented by attorneys with Collins & Collins and Guebert Bruckner Gentile. See: Sisneros vs. Centurion Corr. Healthcare of N.M., LLC, N.M. 1st Jud. Dist. (Santa Fe Cty.), Case No. D-10l-CV-2019-00598. The complaint named no Centurion employee whose license could be researched.

Michael Padilla

While held by NMCD between 2017 and 2019, Michael Padilla contracted a rare MRSA infection. The heel of his foot had previously been partially amputated due to a serious infection, and Centurion allegedly failed to properly care for the wound while he was in custody; the resulting infection caused significant pain and suffering. Following his release from prison, Padilla began seeing an infection specialist, who was attempting to bring the infection under control—without amputating his leg—when the former prisoner filed two lawsuits against Centurion for medical negligence.

Sadly, Padilla died while the suits were pending. Centurion settled one by paying $100,000 to the estate, which was also represented by attorneys with Collins & Collins and Guebert Bruckner Gentile. See: Padilla v. Centurion Corr. Healthcare of N.M., LLC, N.M. 1st Jud. Dist. (Santa Fe Cty.), Case No. D-101-CV-2020-02554; and Case No. D-101-CV-2021-01909. Centurion medical staffers named in the suits were Dr. Donna L. Deming and Nurse T. Romero Peralta. According to the state Medical Board, Dr. Deming holds an active medical license with no disciplinary history. PLN was unable to locate licensing information for Peralta.

Dominick Mora-Solis

Between 2012 and 2019, Dominick Mora-Solis was a prisoner at NWNMCF. He is also paraplegic as the result of a gunshot wound. Centurion medical staff allegedly failed to properly care for him, and he developed a Stage IV pressure ulcer, Sepsis, Acute Thrombocytosis, acute pyelonephritis and acute chronic osteomyelitis, which put him in the hospital. Pressure ulcers are considered “never events” in the medical community, especially those as serious as his: 4 cm deep with visible bone.

Mora-Solis filed a medical negligence claim in state court against Centurion and its employees. On July 12, 2021, Centurion settled the suit for $100,000. He was also represented by attorneys with Collins & Collins and Guebert Bruckner Gentile. See: Mora-Solis v. Centurion Corr. Healthcare of N.M., LLC, N.M. 1st Jud. Dist. (Santa Fe Cty.), Case No. D-101-CV-2019-00627. Centurion Dr. Michele Cox was named in the complaint, along with Dr. Andrade-Barraza (see above). According to the state Medical Board, Dr. Cox has an active medical license with no history of discipline.

Christopher Pino

From 2018 to 2021, Christopher Pino was a prisoner at CNMCF and NWNMCF. With a history of septic arthritis in his left knee, he had undergone two prior surgeries, Centurion staff knew. But after he reported significant left knee pain and an inability to walk in 2018, Centurion staff allowed the symptoms to persist for nearly a year. Pino developed fever, nausea and swelling of the knee before he was finally transported to a hospital on March 19, 2019. Doctors there quickly diagnosed deep vein thrombosis, cellulitis, arthritis, hematoma, septic arthritis and an abscess. The infection was so severe that open-knee surgery was needed to eradicate it. The infection also resulted in organ damage with acute kidney injury.

Following his release from prison, Pino sued Centurion and its employees for medical negligence, settling the case for $100,000 on July 6, 2023. His case was also handled by attorneys with Collins & Collins and Guebert Bruckner Gentile. See: Pino v. Centurion Corr. Healthcare of N.M., LLC, N.M. 1st Jud. Dist. Ct. (Santa Fe Cty.), Case No. D-101-CV-2021-00477. Centurion staffers named in the complaint were Drs. Andrade-Barraza and Cox (see above), plus Dr. Matthew Rounseville. According to the state Medical Board, Dr. Rounseville’s license was allowed to lapse on July 1, 2023, with no history of disciplinary activity.

Shavis Wright

In 2016, NENMCF prisoner Shavis Wright sought treatment from Centurion medical staff for dizziness and right-sided weakness and partial paralysis. His condition was ignored for nearly a month before he received treatment for ischemic stroke. He then sued Centurion and several of employees in state court for medical negligence. On April 4, 2018, Centurion settled the case for $100,000. Wright was represented by attorney Stephen F. Lawless of Albuquerque. See: Wright v. Centurion Corr. Healthcare of N.M., LLC, N.M. 13th Jud. Dist. (Valencia Cty.), Case No. D-1314-CV- 2017-01064. Centurion medical employees named in the complaint were RNs Preston E. Farnum and Michelle A. Paquin. Farnum’s RN license expired on August 1, 2018; Paquin’s RN and APRN-CNP licenses expired on December 31, 2023. Neither had a history of discipline.

Michael Jaramillo

Michael Jaramillo was an NMCD prisoner from November 18, 2014, to January 28, 2019. Despite his long history of Diabetes Mellitus (DM) type II, Centurion medical staff failed to provide him with diabetic medical shoes; as a result, he developed sores on his left foot that became infected. He was taken to an emergency room, where one of his toes was partially amputated. Centurion staff then allegedly failed to provide appropriate surgical aftercare, resulting in more needless suffering.

The complaint noted that Jaramillo was emailing his attorney, Parrish Collins, while incarcerated to report the inadequate care he received, even providing photographic evidence. Counsel promptly contacted Centurion and requested that medical staff provide appropriate care, but even these requests went ignored. Jaramillo filed suit against Centurion following his release from prison. On November 3, 2022, Centurion settled the case for $75,000. Unusually, the settlement agreement specifically did not resolve claims against individual NMCD defendants or private prison operator CoreCivic, Inc. Jaramillo was represented by attorneys with Collins & Collins and Guebert Bruckner Gentile. See: Jaramillo v. Centurion Corr. Healthcare of N.M., LLC, N.M. 1st Jud. Dist. (Santa Fe Cty.), Case No. D-101-CV-2019-02934.

Centurion employees named in the suit were James Gonzales, M.D., Katherine Allen, FNP, and Danielle Palumbo, LPN. According to the state Board of Medicine, Dr. Gonzales has an active medical license with no disciplinary history. The state Board of Nursing indicated that Allen’s license expired on September 30, 2024, while Palumbo has an active LPN license with no disciplinary history.

Calvin Finch

An NMCD prisoner from October 13, 2016, to April 29, 2017, 58-year-old Calvin Finch had a number of medical conditions that left him susceptible to infection. He reported low back pain, fever and chills, but Centurion employees allowed these symptoms to persist for six months before transporting him to an emergency room. Doctors there quickly determined that Finch had acute lumbar discitis and an epidural abscess. They treated the infection with IV antibiotics and released him to NMCD custody after 13 days; yet Centurion employees again failed to provide proper care, so he was returned to the hospital for another 11 days

After release from prison, Finch sued Centurion, which settled the case for $65,000 on February 23, 2021. Finch was represented by attorneys with Collins & Collins. See: Finch v. Centurion Corr. Healthcare of N.M., LLC, N.M. 1st Jud. Dist. (Santa Fe Cty.), Case No. D-101-CV-2019-00778. The Centurion employee named in the suit, Dr. Omar Izquierdo-Frau, has an active medical license with no disciplinary history, according to the state Board of Medicine.

Felix Martinez

While Felix Martinez was a prisoner at LCCF, he developed a serious infection on his spine that Centurion employees allegedly ignored for many months. When they finally performed diagnostic testing, he was rushed by ambulance to a local hospital and then transported by helicopter to UNM Hospital for emergency spinal surgery. However, the infection eroded and deformed Martinez’s spine, causing permanent pain and disability.

He sued Centurion and its employees following release from prison. Centurion settled the case on March 24, 2021, for $65,000. Martinez was represented by Santa Fe attorney Paul D. Mannick. See: Martinez v. Centurion Corr. Healthcare of N.M., LLC, N.M. 11th Jud. Dist. (San Juan Cty.), Case No. D-1116-CV-2019-00060. Centurion Dr. Birnbaum was named in the complaint (see above).

George Yribe

Forty-six-year-old George Yribe was a prisoner at NWNMCF from October 2017 to March 14, 2018. Centurion staff allegedly failed to take appropriate measures to prevent him from developing a spinal infection and then ignored obvious signs when he developed an abscess on his spine. Yribe was eventually taken to a hospital after months spent in excruciating pain with a high fever. The abscess required surgery and IV medication.

Yribe sued Centurion and its employees following his release from prison. On May 27, 2021, Centurion settled the case for $65,000. He was represented by attorneys with Collins & Collins, and Guebert Bruckner Gentile. See: Yribe v. Centurion Corr. Healthcare of N.M., LLC, N.M. 1st Jud. Dist. (Santa Fe Cty.), Case No. D-101-CV-2019-00633. The complaint named Centurion Drs. Andrade-Barraza and Izquierdo-Frau (see above).

Denton Thomason

In June 2016, CNMCF prisoner Denton Thomason reported to Centurion medical staff that he had experienced uncontrollable jerking in his shoulders and upper extremities for approximately three years. But rather than send him to a specialist for proper diagnosis, a Centurion psychiatrist prescribed him Sinemet, a powerful drug used for treating Parkinson’s disease. The medicine caused Thomason to suffer from extreme nausea, vomiting and rectal bleeding before he lost consciousness, fell down and sustained injury.

Thomason was transported to a local hospital where it was quickly determined that he did not have Parkinson’s disease and never should have received Sinemet. He was hospitalized for several days; doctors recommended that Centurion cease Sinemet and send him to a specialist for proper diagnosis. When that didn’t happen, Thomason sued Centurion and its psychiatrist in federal court, alleging deliberate indifference to his serious medical needs. Centurion settled the case on November 10, 2017, for $50,000. Thomason was represented by Albuquerque attorneys Alexandra Smith and Frances Crockett Carpenter. See: Thomason v. Centurion Corr. Healthcare of N.M., LLC, USDC (D.N.M.), Case No. 1:17-cv-00659. Centurion Dr. Guillermo Pezzarossi was named in the complaint. According to the state Board of Medicine, his medical license was inactive as of July 1, 2018. He was disciplined in 2001, but the order was not available.

Other Settlements

Timothy Harlan

In 2014, Timothy Harlan was incarcerated at the NWNMCF when he slipped and fell in the shower, fracturing his wrist. The fracture was not diagnosed or treated for over a year. After he finally received surgery to rebreak and repair his wrist, medical staff allegedly failed to provide appropriate follow-up care. Harlan endured significant pain and suffering before and after the surgery. But a Centurion regional director wrote that “[t]here is absolutely no way we can send the patient twice a week for 8 weeks to Physical Therapy.”

Since his treatment spanned NMCD contracts with Corizon Health and Centurion, Harlan sued both in state court. On January 19, 2019, Centurion settled its share of the case for $35,000; the agreement did not release Corizon Health or any of its employees for conduct prior to the end of the firm’s contract on June 1, 2016. Harlan was represented by Albuquerque attorney Carey C. Bhalla. See: Harlan v. Corizon Health, Inc., N.M. 1st Jud. Dist. (Santa Fe Cty.), Case No. D-101-CV-2017-02436.

Centurion employees named in the complaint were Nurses Patricia Thompson and Jennifer Marks, as well as Dr. Boynton (see above). According to the state Board of Nursing, Marks’s RN license expired in 2016, but Thompson’s APRN-CNP license is active; neither had a disciplinary history.

Stephanie Montano

Thirty-seven-year-old Stephanie Montano was confined at SCC on May 9, 2018. Beginning the following month, she complained of symptoms consistent with pelvic organ prolapse, and she experienced abnormal uterine bleeding. But Centurion medical staff denied her a referral to see an OB/GYN. Her lawyers wrote to NMCD and Centurion, demanding that she be seen by a specialist, and they included affidavits from independent medical experts. Still nothing was done. Montano’s medical condition was never treated before her incarceration ended in February 2020.

She then filed suit for medical malpractice in state court against Centurion, NMCD and various employees. On September 24, 2021, Centurion settled the case for $32,500. Montano was represented by attorneys Lalita Moskowitz and Leon Howard of the American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico in Albuquerque. See: S.M. v. Centurion Corr. Healthcare of N.M., LLC, N.M. 1st Jud. Dist. (Santa Fe Cty.), Case No. D-101-CV-2019-02326.

Centurion employees named in the complaint were Dr. Trujillo (see above) and Nurse Marcia Hefker. According to the state Board of Nursing, Hefker has active APRN-CNP and RN licenses with no disciplinary history.

Osvaldo Suarez

In 2019, Osvaldo Suarez was a prisoner at LCCF. With a seizure disorder requiring medication, he was supposed to be assigned to a lower bunk. But Centurion staff allegedly stopped his seizure medication without explanation and failed to inform guards of his lower bunk status. On April 27, 2019, Suarez had a seizure and fell from his top bunk. He bit his tongue, had two black eyes, a cut below one eye and injuries to his jaw and mouth as a result. Centurion allegedly then failed to properly treat these injuries and left him assigned to a top bunk. Letters from his attorney went ignored. Unsurprisingly, Suarez had another seizure and fell again from his top bunk on June 5, 2019, this time injuring his foot and biting a chunk out of his tongue.

Following release from custody in April 2020, Suarez filed suit in federal court accusing LCCF operator The GEO Group, Inc., as well as Centurion and its employees, of deliberate indifference to his serious medical needs. On October 21, 2020, Centurion settled the case for $32,500. Suarez was represented by attorney Carpenter and her Law Office of Frances Crockett, LLC, in Albuquerque. See: Suarez v. The Geo Group, Inc., USDC (D.N.M.), Case No. 2:20-cv-00541. The complaint named no Centurion employee whose license could be researched.

Stephen Molina

After Stephen Molina suffered a broken jaw from an assault by another prisoner at CNMCF in 2018, Centurion medical staff allegedly failed to treat him for over two months. He sued Centurion in state court, alleging medical negligence. On April 14, 2021, Centurion settled the case for $27,500. Molina was represented by attorney Stephen F. Lawless. See: Molina v. Centurion Corr. Healthcare of N.M., LLC, N.M. 2nd Jud. Dist. (Bernalillo Cty.), Case No. D-202-CV-2020-00287. Centurion dentist Dennis Jackson was named in the complaint; however, PLN was unable to verify the status of his medical license.

Alonzo Gonzales

Alonzo Gonzales fell and fractured an elbow while playing basketball at a NMCD lockup on January 7, 2019. But Centurion doctors allegedly failed to diagnose and treat the injury for over four months. Gonzales experienced prolonged and unnecessary pain and disability as a result. He sued Centurion following his release from prison. On April 29, 2022, Centurion settled the case for $25,000.00. He was also represented by attorney Lawless. See: Gonzales v. Centurion Corr. Healthcare of N.M., LLC, N.M. 2nd Jud. Dist. (Bernalillo Cty.), Case No. D-202-CV-2021-02399. The complaint named no Centurion employee whose license could be researched.

Monica Lujan

In 2018, WNMCF prisoner Monica Lujan was summoned to the infirmary, although she had not requested to see a doctor. While there, she requested a stool softener from Centurion Dr. William Eyzaguirre. He stated that she needed a rectal exam; when she submitted, he forced his fingers inside her vagina. Nurse Nizohonie Sarver immediately reported the incident, and the prisoner was taken to a local hospital for an examination, which confirmed she had been sexually assaulted. Lujan then sued Dr. Eyzaguirre, NMCD and Centurion.

The state district court accepted Plaintiff’s filings and motions through November 2020 and then did nothing until later in the following year—when it granted Defendants’ motion to dismiss for failure to prosecute. The Court of Appeals of New Mexico reversed that decision on June 30, 2022. See: Lujan v. Eyzaguirre, 2022 N.M. App. Unpub. LEXIS 253 (Ct. App.). Centurion then settled Lujan’s claims against the firm on May 30, 2024, for $25,000; however, the agreement did not resolve her claims against Dr. Eyzaguirre or NMCD, which remain pending. She is represented by attorney Anthony J. Ayala of Albuquerque. See: Lujan v. Eyzaguirre, N.M. 13th Jud. Dist. (Cibola Cty.), Case No. D-1333-CV-2018-00053.

According to the state Medical Board, Dr. Eyzaguirre’s medical license lapsed on July 1, 2020. He had no disciplinary history; he was also apparently never criminally charged for Lujan’s sexual assault.

Christopher Pierce

Christopher Pierce was incarcerated at SNMCF beginning in April 2016. Though he was diagnosed with schizophrenia and bi-polar disorder, medical personnel failed to provide Clonazepam. Instead, they gave him some other medication. When Pierce complained, medical staff first said the manufacturer changed and then claimed he had switched out the pills himself.

Without medication, the prisoner unsurprisingly exhibited erratic behavior, cutting himself repeatedly and becoming sick from the switch in his medication. He was deprived of his correct medication for nearly five months. After Centurion took over NMCD healthcare from Corizon Health, nurse Sheri R. Pierce (no relation) examined the package containing his pills and determined someone in the medical unit had split open the sealed packaging and swapped out the Clonazepam. Police investigated but were unable to identify who was responsible.

Pierce filed suit in state court alleging both constitutional and state law tort claims. On November 13, 2019, Centurion settled the case for $17,500. The prisoner was represented by attorneys Steven K. Sanders of Steven K. Sanders & Assoc., LLC in Albuquerque and Ed Meintzer of the Meintzer Law Firm in Los Lunas. See: Pierce v. Corizon Health, Inc., N.M. 3rd Jud. Dist. (Doña Ana Cty.), Case No. D-307-CV-2018-01563. The complaint named but did not accuse Nurse Pierce (see above); no other Centurion employee was named whose license could be researched.

Adrian Sedillo

While confined at NENMCF, Adrian Sedillo slipped and fell on his way to the shower in his housing unit on July 23, 2018. He injured his back, but Centurion employees allegedly ignored his requests for medical assistance and refused to transport him to a hospital for an MRI. Sedillo suffered pain and permanent disability due to the fall and lack of care. He sued Centurion, Geo Group, Inc.—the prison’s operator at the time—and NMCD in state court. Defendants removed the case to federal court, where Centurion settled its share of the claims against for $15,000.00 on April 15, 2022. GEO Group ultimately reached an undisclosed settlement of the remaining claims, and the case was jointly dismissed in February 2023. Sedillo was represented by Albuquerque attorney Alvin R. Garcia. See: Sedillo v. N.M. Corr. Dep’t, USDC (D. N.M.), Case No. 1:20-cv-01019. Centurion nurse Lang Chhour was the only medical employee named in the complaint. According to the state Board of Nursing, she has active RN and APRN-CNP licenses with no disciplinary history.

Cynthia Varela-Cesaus

While incarcerated at WNMCF on July 27, 2016, Cynthia Varela-Cesaus was treated for an eye infection with medication that she was allergic to. Her face swelled, both her eyes turned red, her eye lids swelled and she suffered conjunctive tears. Worse, the medication caused permanent and disfiguring injuries. The prisoner sued Centurion in state court, and the firm settled the case for $10,000 on June 5, 2018. Albuquerque attorney Anthony J. Ayala represented her. See: Casaus v. Centurion, LLC, N.M. 13th Jud. Dist. (Cibola Cty.), Case No. D-1333-CV-2017-00313. The complaint named Centurion employee “M. Abeyta,” perhaps referring to RN Merriam Abeita; her license is active with no disciplinary history, according to the state Board of Nursing.

Leonardo Lucero

While incarcerated at NWNMCF, guards falsely labeled Leonardo Lucero a snitch, and he was severely beaten by six other prisoners on October 22, 2018. Afterward, his head was swollen, his jaw and ribs were fractured, and spinal and back injuries made walking difficult. Because the infirmary was short-staffed, Lucero was allegedly placed in segregation and left there without medical attention or pain medication for several days before taken to a hospital for treatment. Due to the delay, he suffered permanent disfigurement and hearing loss. Lucero sued Centurion for medical malpractice in state court. On August 17, 2023, Centurion settled the case for $10,000. He was also represented by attorney Lawless. See: Lucero v. CoreCivic, Inc., N.M. 1st Jud. Dist. (Santa Fe Cty.), Case No. D-101-CV-2020-00378. The complaint named no Centurion employee whose license could be researched.

Brenton Rael

NMCD prisoner Brenton Rael allegedly complained about serious dental problems for several years but was ignored. When he finally received treatment, dental work was performed incorrectly resulting in significant pain, infection and tooth loss. He also did not receive sufficient anesthesia when his tooth was extracted, causing more pain.

Rael sued Centurion for medical malpractice and related claims in federal court. On October 19, 2017, Centurion settled the case for $10,000. Rael was represented by attorney Carpenter. See: Rael v. N.M. Corr. Dep’t, USDC (D.N.M.), Case No. 17-cv-00613. Centurion dentist Roger Ames was named in the complaint, but PLN was unable to verify the status of his medical license or disciplinary history.

Melissa Folsom

Centurion medical staff at WNMCF allegedly knew for at least six years that prisoner Melissa Folsom had Hep-C and was at risk for liver damage without antiviral treatment but refused to provide it. Folsom sued Centurion and employees in state court for medical malpractice. Centurion settled the case on October 13, 2022, for $8,500. The prisoner was represented by attorneys with Collins & Collins and Guebert Gentile & Piazza. See: Folsom v. Centurion Corr. Healthcare of N.M., LLC, N.M. 1st Jud. Dist. (Santa Fe Cty.), Case No. D-101-CV-2020-02551.

Centurion employees named in the complaint were Drs. Deming and Cox (see above), as well as Dr. Murray Young, PA Michelle Lucero and Nurse Hillary Habiger. According to the state Board of Nursing, Habiger has active RN and APRN-CNS licenses with no disciplinary history. The state Medical Board likewise indicated that Lucero has an active medical license with no disciplinary history. PLN was unable to verify the status of Dr. Young’s medical license.

Pedro J. Amaro

Pursuant to a Centurion policy that allegedly prohibits prisoners from receiving dental crowns or surgery, regardless of necessity, NMCD prisoner Pedro J. Amaro was denied root canal therapy and a crown. He filed suit in federal court, alleging that the policy denied his constitutional rights and violated state tort law. Centurion settled the case on March 29, 2023, for $5,000. The prisoner proceeded pro se. See: Amaro v. Grewal, USDC (D.N.M.), Case No. 1:20-cv-01398. The complaint named numerous Centurion administrators and supervisors but no medical personnel whose license could be researched.

Guy Bryan

While held at MDC and Cibola County Correctional Center (CCCC) in Milan, Guy Bryan claimed that he had an obvious, non-healed fracture of his right collarbone which was extremely painful and deformed the skin above his collarbone. Moreover, he said, medical staff at both lockups failed to provide timely and appropriate treatment. He sued Centurion and several employees for medical malpractice and related claims in federal court. On September 1, 2022, Centurion settled the case for $5,000. Bryan was represented by Albuquerque attorneys Taylor E. Smith of Garrett & Smith Law and Jamison Shekter of Shekter Law, P.C. See: Bryan v. CoreCivic, Inc., USDC (D.N.M.), Case No. 1:22-cv-00158.

Centurion medical staff named in the complaint were Dr. Keith Ivens and Nurse Kathleen Lamphere. He has an active medical license with no disciplinary history, according to the state Medical Board. The state Board of Nursing indicated that Lamphere has an active APRN-CNP license with no disciplinary history.

Pete Lovato

Pete Lovato suffered from severe and permanent vision impairment in both eyes while incarcerated at the Otero County Prison Facility (OCPF), but medical personnel allegedly failed to provide adequate treatment for 11 months. He is now totally blind in his left eye and legally blind in his right eye. Lovato sued Centurion and others in state court for medical malpractice. On July 11, 2023, Centurion settled its share of the claims for $5,000. Lovato was represented by attorney Lawless. See: Lovato v. MTC Medical, LLC, N.M. 12th Jud. Dist. (Otero Cty.), Case No. D-1215-CV-2020-0862. The complaint named no Centurion employee whose license could be researched.

Victor Plumb

During intake into CNMCF in September 2016, Victor Plumb indicated that he is a combat veteran with severe PTSD which causes him night terrors and nightmares. He was supposed to receive a lower bunk assignment as a result, but he was ordered into a top bunk and then fell off it while experiencing night terrors. The fall seriously injured his hip. Centurion medical staff allegedly failed to provide timely and appropriate treatment before he was eventually transferred to a local hospital to undergo surgical hip repair. He sued Centurion in state court for medical malpractice. On March 12, 2020, Centurion settled the case for $5,000. Plumb was represented by attorney Joshua Bradley of the Bradley Law Firm, LLC, in Albuquerque. See: Plumb v. New Mexico Corr. Dep’t, N.M. 1st Jud. Dist. (Santa Fe Cty.), Case No. D-101-CV-2018-03078. The complaint named no Centurion employee whose license could be researched.

Alberto Aranzola

When NWNMCF prisoner Alberto Aranzola tested positive for Hep-C, Centurion medical staff allegedly refused to provide appropriate antiviral treatment, resulting in cirrhosis of the liver. Aranzola sued Centurion and employees for medical malpractice in state court following his release from prison. On August 25, 2022, Centurion settled the case for $1,500. He was represented by attorneys with Collins & Collins and Guebert Gentile & Piazza. See: Aranzola v. Centurion Corr. Healthcare of N.M., LLC, N.M. 1st Jud. Dist. (Santa Fe Cty.), Case No. D-101-CV-2020-02548. Centurion medical staff named in the complaint were Drs. Deming and Young (see above).

Concluding Thoughts

Several disturbing patterns emerge from these cases. First, Centurion is repeatedly accused of delay in sending prisoners to hospitals for necessary treatment. The apparent motivation: Wait until prisoners will need hospitalization longer than 24 hours, since Centurion is contractually obligated to pay only for hospital stays less than that.

Centurion was also repeatedly accused of failing to keep or destroying medical records related to its inadequate care, and records that were kept were not detailed or thorough.

Lastly, prisons are dirty and crowded—breeding grounds for infection. But even knowing this, Centurion routinely fails to take reasonably necessary steps to ensure prisoners do not suffer and die from infections.

Eight million in settlement payouts may seem like a lot, but it represents less than 6% of more than $136 million that NMCD paid during its 40-month contract period with Centurion. On the company’s financial statement, that line item is about the same as sales tax—certainly not significant enough by itself to bring about meaningful change. As attorney Parrish Collins put it, malpractice and wrongful death payouts are to private medical providers “what some might refer to as chump change.”

In most cases, moreover, prisoners sued not just Centurion but also NMCD; yet when Centurion settled a case, prisoner-plaintiffs were usually compelled to dismiss all claims, including those against NMCD, even if not directly related to inadequate medical care. With this sort of indemnification, NMCD has no financial incentive to discontinue its long-standing practice of contracting away its constitutional obligation to care for the prisoners in its custody.

It is also important to note how often the same medical personnel were named in these suits. As with NMCD defendants, settlement agreements usually require prisoner-plaintiffs to dismiss all claims against Centurion staff, thereby insulating the providers from professional discipline. In fact, PLN was unable to locate a single case in which a Centurion medical employee was disciplined for the inadequate healthcare that prisoners received.

This lack of disciplinary action is particularly troubling because most prison doctors and nurses do not stop working at NMCD facilities when a new private medical contractor assumes responsibility for prisoner healthcare. Rather, staffers simply move their employment to the new contractor and continue mistreating prisoner-patients because nothing has changed other than the signature on their paychecks.

If New Mexico were really concerned with the welfare and health of the people it incarcerates, the state legislature would abolish the practice of contracting with private medical providers and establish minimum standards for prison healthcare. Prisoner rights organizations have called for such reforms for years; New Mexico House Bill 40, for example—the Private Detention Facility Moratorium Act—was introduced during the 2021 legislative session. But it died in the Appropriations and Finance Committee without ever being referred to the floor of the state House of Representatives for a vote.

Over the past few years, New Mexico has reassumed control of several privately operated prisons in the state under scrutiny about the treatment prisoners received in them. Yet, the State continues to contract with private companies for healthcare inside its prisons. In 2019, NMCD entered a three-year contact with Wexford Health Sources, replacing Centurion as medical care provider. That contract pays Wexford $58 million in the first year, $60 million in the second year and $62 million in the third.

But this was the second time in a decade that NMCD contracted with Wexford; during a previous three-year contact, Wexford settled at least 53 claims filed by prisoners. Given that track record, it is unlikely that returning to the firm will improve the quality of healthcare that prisoners receive, particularly since Wexford retained most of the medical staff previously employed by Centurion and its behavioral health subsidiary, MHM Health Professionals.

During a 2023 news conference, state Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) said she was “taking a close, hard look at any number of our medical care contracts that I think leave a lot to be desired.” Yet, during that same news conference, the governor admitted that addressing conditions within New Mexico’s jails and prisons was “not part of the core public safety bills” proposed for that year’s legislative session. Instead, she and state legislators were more interested in limiting pretrial releases and increasing prison sentences. Meanwhile, prisoners continue to suffer and die at the hands of New Mexico’s private, for-profit correctional healthcare providers.  

Additional sources: Searchlight New Mexico, Source NM

Complaints and settlement agreements for these cases are available on PLN’s website, where digital subscribers may navigate to the “Brief Bank” and search by case name. If you know of other settlements involving Centurion Correctional Healthcare of New Mexico on or after January 1, 2010, please contact PLN with relevant information and documents if possible.