ST. LUCIE COUNTY, Fla. — A Port St. Lucie cosmetic surgery center was shut down back in 2023 after claims of at least four botched surgeries.
Now, the trial is underway for Adley Dasilva, a man charged with performing surgery while only a physician's assistant.
WATCH BELOW: Trial underway for suspect in cosmetic surgery scheme
Two years ago, several women told WPTV they suffered physical and mental anguish after undergoing botched cosmetic procedures at Cosmetica Plastic Surgery and Anti-Aging.
Adley Dasilva faces almost a dozen felony counts, including racketeering, aggravated battery and practicing medicine without a license.
In opening statements, prosecutors presented Dasilva as a participant in a fraudulent medical practice, selling unsuspecting women dangerous medical procedures.
"They were not authorized or licensed to perform (the procedures). Why would they do this? That's easy. The money was good," Assistant State Attorney Justin Miller said in court.
Port St Lucie
Victims of botched surgeries are saying this after 4 arrests
The defense countered that while there is no disagreement that some women had complications, the issue is that there was no criminal misconduct in this case.
"The seriousness of the allegations does not substitute for proof or evidence," defense attorney Il Young Choi countered in court.
Back in 2024, WPTV spoke with Jaclyn Sterling, who shared her story of disappointment after claiming her procedures went wrong.
"I physically have scars, but the mental anguish is the worst," Sterling said in 2024.
Sterling was the first witness for the state during Tuesday's testimony, telling the jury about the unbearable pain she suffered after her liposuction. Also, she said she was not aware of Dasilva's credentials, or lack thereof.
"They just kept telling me everything was going to be OK, so stupid me, call me naive, I believed them," Sterling said in court on Tuesday. "I thought they knew what they were doing, and that I could trust them."
In his opening statement, Choi said DaSilva will take the stand during the trial.
