Investigators say another person has since contacted deputies, and more reports may follow.
ROYAL PALM BEACH, FL — A recovery-room nurse at a Palm Beach County outpatient surgery center was arrested after two patients reported being sexually battered while they were in his care, sheriff’s officials said, adding that detectives believe additional victims may exist and are continuing to investigate the case.
The arrest has raised urgent questions about patient safety in medical recovery areas, where people may be groggy, medicated or unable to clearly recall what happened. The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office said it opened the investigation after receiving two separate complaints about the nurse’s conduct at Palms Wellington Surgical Center. Officials said investigators established probable cause and took the nurse into custody, while warning that other patients could have been targeted.
Authorities identified the suspect as Joel Vega, 34, of Lake Worth, a registered nurse who worked in the post-anesthesia care unit, often called the recovery room. Investigators said the reported incidents involved female patients who were recovering after procedures at the Royal Palm Beach facility. Vega was arrested on Fri., Feb. 20, and appeared in court the next day, records and local reports said. A judge set bond at $25,000 for each of the two sexual battery charges and ordered Vega to have no contact with the women, officials said. Jail records showed he posted bail and was released later that night.
The sheriff’s office has not publicly identified the two women, and investigators have not said whether they knew each other or were treated on the same day. Detectives also have not released a detailed timeline of when each woman first contacted authorities, or how long the investigation lasted before Vega’s arrest. A sheriff’s spokeswoman, Teri Barbera, said detectives “established probable cause” after a thorough investigation. The agency has emphasized that the case remains active, with detectives still working to determine whether others were harmed. On Tue., Feb. 24, the sheriff’s office told a local station that a third alleged victim had come forward after Vega’s arrest, though no additional charges had been filed at that time.
Details included in reports based on law enforcement records describe allegations that one patient was assaulted after a knee surgery on Feb. 13 at Palms Wellington Surgical Center. The patient reported that the nurse touched her in a sexual manner, including reaching under clothing, according to accounts of the arrest report. The patient said she tried to stop the contact and struck at him, but he restrained her and forced her hand toward his groin area, the report accounts said. Investigators have not released video, medical records or other evidence publicly, and the sheriff’s office has not said whether anyone else was present in the recovery area at the time.
A second allegation described in reports involves an elderly patient who said she was assaulted after surgery for a broken wrist on Feb. 5 at the same facility. That patient described the nurse touching her private area inappropriately, according to those accounts. Investigators have not said whether the woman was under sedation, whether she alerted staff immediately, or whether any internal complaint was made to the surgery center before law enforcement was contacted. Detectives have also not released information about how long Vega had worked at the center, his work schedule, or whether he was supervised at the time of the alleged incidents.
Palms Wellington Surgical Center is located in the 400 block of North State Road 7 in Royal Palm Beach. It is an accredited outpatient ambulatory surgery center that provides same-day surgical services, including orthopedic and spine procedures, according to public descriptions of the facility. Reports said the center was closed on Sun., Feb. 22, in the days after Vega’s arrest, though it was not clear whether that closure was routine or related to the investigation. The center is owned by Westside Outpatient Center, according to local reporting. When reporters visited after the arrest, a receptionist said no one was available to comment and did not say whether Vega was still employed there.
Cases involving alleged abuse of patients during medical care can be difficult to investigate quickly because the people involved may be recovering from surgery and may not immediately understand or remember what happened. Recovery rooms are also controlled environments where staff move in and out, and documentation of patient care may be spread across medical charts, staffing logs and electronic records. Investigators have not said what evidence they gathered to support the arrest, whether the allegations were corroborated by witnesses, or whether any staff member raised concerns before the two complaints were filed.
Detectives said they are concerned there could be additional victims. Barbera said investigators believe other patients may have been harmed, and the sheriff’s office has encouraged anyone with information to reach out to the agency’s detective unit. Officials have not said how many patients Vega may have cared for during the period under review, or whether the investigation includes a broader audit of recovery-room practices at the facility. Authorities also have not said whether state health regulators have been notified, whether the surgery center has made any changes to staffing, or whether any internal review has been launched.
Vega’s next court date is scheduled for Sat., March 22, and one report listed the hearing time as 10:30 a.m. Court records and public jail information reviewed by local outlets show bond was set at $25,000 for each sexual battery charge. Reports based on the arrest paperwork also referenced an additional battery count, though the sheriff’s office has not provided a detailed public charging document that outlines every allegation. Prosecutors have not announced whether they plan to seek new charges tied to the third person who contacted deputies after the arrest, and investigators have not said when the case could be presented for further review.
Outside the surgery center, the allegations have unsettled patients who have visited the facility in recent years. One woman interviewed by local media, Cheri Somers of Loxahatchee, said she had surgery at the center twice and did not know whether Vega was her recovery-room nurse. She said the news left her uneasy as she thought about how vulnerable people can be after anesthesia and pain medication. Investigators have not said whether they are contacting former patients directly, but officials have repeatedly stated they are trying to identify anyone else who may have been affected.
For now, the sheriff’s office says the investigation remains open and could expand as detectives review records and follow up on new tips. Vega is out of jail on bond under conditions that include no contact with the alleged victims, and the next major milestone is his March 22 court appearance, when the case is expected to be addressed again in Palm Beach County court.
Author note: Last updated February 24, 2026.