An antigovernment “sovereign citizen” who worked as an unlicensed medical doctor in Las Vegas is now linked to the deaths of at least three of his former patients, and may face murder charges, prosecutors say.



Rick Van Thiel. (Clark County Jail.)

David Rick Van Thiel –– a former porn star, male escort and sex toy inventor –– also is alleged to have sexually assaulted several women, including one who went to his ramshackle trailer clinic for an abortion, investigators say.

“There [are] now three deaths associated with Mr. Van Thiel, 90 victims and I can't count the number of sexual assault counts he is now facing,” Chief Deputy District Attorney Marc DiGiacomo said at a hearing Tuesday, Las Vegas station KSNV-TV reported.

As part of his antigovernment views, Van Thiel has said he doesn’t believe the government has a right to interfere or license activity between consenting adults –– whether sex-for-hire or the practice of medicine. His ads promoted holistic medicine and natural remedies and denounced conventional medicine, vaccinations, the pharmaceutical industry and the federal Food and Drug Administration.

Van Thiel worked in the porn industry in Las Vegas before opening his makeshift clinic after watching YouTube videos about medical procedures and setting up web sites to lure patients, many of whom apparently lacked health coverage. He has served prison time for battery, robbery, burglary and assault.

One of his patients who died, Hatewatch has learned, was an AIDS patient who sought treatment from “Dr. Rick” after being promised a cure. Prosecutors could seek a murder charge on the basis that medical care dispensed by someone who isn’t a licensed physician is “reckless disregard for human life.”

Judge Ann Zimmerman said Van Thiel –– who claims to have performed dozens of abortions, circumcisions, castrations, root canals and cancer treatments –– presents a greater danger than a serial murderer or rapist “because he appears to be preying upon people who can't access health care in our community.” She refused to lower his $1 million bond.

The investigation, being conducted by the Las Vegas Metro Police, the FBI and the Clark County Health District, has grown larger as authorities attempt to identify, locate and interview Van Thiel’s former patients, prosecutors say. Once located, those former patients are being given medical exams and blood tests to see if they were cross-infected after treatment at Dr. Rick’s clinic in northeast Las Vegas.

The illegal clinic–– described by one patient as a scene from a horror movie –– included video surveillance towers, a residence, a semi-truck container, three storage sheds, a motor home and a trailer where the medical procedures are believed to have occurred.

When the process of identifying and interviewing former patients is completed, the prosecutor said he will take the case to a county grand jury and likely seek murder and sexual assault charges against Van Thiel.

Van Thiel, 52, was arrested Oct. 2 and is being held in the Clark County Detention Center on charges of practicing medicine without a license; possession of a firearm by a felon; possession of illegal drugs and illegally providing illegal drugs.

Like other sovereign citizens who refuse to abide by laws and regulations and get licenses from government agencies, Van Thiel apparently believed he was free to practice medicine and dispense illegal drugs, ozone treatments, blood thinners, steroids and herbal remedies without a medical license.

In court on Tuesday, his sovereign citizen philosophy came through in an exchange with the judge when she asked his name “for the record,” KSNV-TV reported.

“For the record I'm not Mr. Van Thiel,” he responded.

“Who are you?” the judge then asked.

“I am the living sentient human, man that goes by capital R lower case i-c-k capital V lower case a-n capital T lower case h-i-e-l and I'm here on special appearance but I'm not Mr. Van Thiel or the all caps name on the amended criminal complaint."