Doctor Who Worked At Cedars-Sinai Facing Child Pornography Charges
WESTWOOD (CBSLA) — A doctor who worked at Cedars-Sinai and taught at the University of California, Los Angeles, is facing child pornography charges.
According to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office, 59-year-old Guido Germano has been charged with distributing and possessing child pornography. Germano is accused of distributing child porn videos using "peer-to-peer software and downloading them onto his personal computer at home."
Germano was the director of artificial intelligence medicine at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. The hospital's website at one point said Germano researched technology related to analyzing the human heart.
The DA's office said Germano was arrested June 19 and was released on bond with two conditions: no internet use unless a device equipped with accountability software is used and no unsupervised time with minor children.
In a statement, Cedars-Sinai said it had terminated Germano's employment.
"Germano, who had been employed at Cedars-Sinai, did not report the arrest or subsequent charges to the organization," the statement said. "Upon learning this information, Cedars-Sinai took immediate action and terminated Germano's employment as of August 1. Germano was a specialist in scientific computing and did not have any contact with patients."
The UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, where Germano is a professor of medicine, said Germano was placed on administrative leave Thursday immediately after they learned of the charges.
"It definitely is alarming although it makes sense to wait and hear more information," Elizabeth Mayeda, an assistant professor at UCLA, said.
Germano pleaded not guilty Thursday morning to the charges against him. His is due in court Aug. 29 for a preliminary hearing.
