A New York anesthesiologist pleaded guilty to drugging his family’s nanny while she slept and raping her.
Paul Giacopelli, 60, will only spend four years in prison when he’s sentenced on November 20, thanks to a plea deal agreed to by Putnam County Judge Anthony Mole, LoHud.com reports. He will have to register as a sex offender, however, and serve three to 10 years in post-release supervision.
Giacopelli was caught drugging the live-in nanny on a camera she installed behind a turtle tank in the living room where she slept. She went to a hospital and then to the sheriff’s office after viewing the footage, and he was arrested in December 2023.
A formal indictment followed in March. He was accused of sexually abusing the victim four times and charged with eight counts. He faced 15 years in prison if convicted. His guilty plea on Friday comes to single charges of first degree sexual abuse and second degree sexual assault.
Sheriff’s Department investigator Keith Simone told the grand jury that Giacopelli admitted using the anesthetic Sevuflorane on the victim, holding it oer her mouth and nose until she was unconscious. He told investigators he had a “chloroform fetish” and targeted the nanny because she was a “heavy sleeper.”
He also told investigators he brought drugs home from Putnam Hospital Center, where he was chief anesthesiologist.
Earlier this year, the state Board for Professional Medical Conduct suspended Giacopelli’s license to practice medicine.
The 25-year-old victim has filed a lawsuit against Giacopelli, his wife, Northwell Health, Putnam Hospital Center, and Montefiore Nyack Hospital. The suit alleges the hospitals negligence allowed him to walk out the door with the drugs he used on the victim.
Montefiore Nyack Hospital, however, filed an affidavit saying the Giacopelli hasn’t had privileges to practice there since 2016. The health care agencies have filed for dismissal, saying that what the doctor did wasn’t within the scope of his employment.
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[Featured image: Paul Giacopelli/police handout]
