Two Indicted for Allegedly Operating as Unlicensed Dentists

TUCSON – Attorney General Mark Brnovich announced a State Grand Jury indicted 57-year-old Jose Manuel Contreras and 66-year-old Maria Rosete Valenzuela for allegedly operating an unlicensed dental practice and selling prescription drugs in Tucson.

Contreras is facing 12 felony counts including Practicing Dentistry without a License, Selling a Misbranded Drug, Possession of Prescription Drugs for Sale, Money Laundering, and Illegally Controlling an Enterprise. Valenzuela is facing 6 felony counts including Practicing Dentistry without a License, Selling a Misbranded Drug, Possession of Prescription Only Drugs for Sale, and Money Laundering.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation Phoenix Field Office, Tucson Resident Agency and the Arizona Attorney General’s Office launched an investigation into unlicensed dental practices in Tucson. On May 11, 2017, Special Agents arrested Contreras while operating an unlicensed dental practice at a trailer. On the same day, Special Agents also arrested Valenzuela. She is accused of running a traveling dental practice, diagnosing tooth conditions, and treating patients with prescription-only medications.

Arizona State Board of Dental Examiners confirmed that Contreras and Valenzuela are not licensed to practice dentistry in Arizona.

Any patients treated by Contreras or Valenzuela are encouraged to contact the FBI Hotline at (520) 594-2800.

Assistant Attorneys General Nicholas Klingerman, Lindsay St. John, and Jordan Emerson are prosecuting this case.

The Tucson Police Department participated in this investigation.