A New York anesthesiologist has admitted to anesthetizing the children’s nursemaid with a drug-soaked cloth and then sexually assaulting her while she was unconscious, authorities said.
Putnam County District Attorney’s Office Announced Paul Jacopelli, 60, was indicted in March and pleaded guilty Wednesday to first-degree sexual abuse and second-degree assault.
At the time of his arrest, Jacopelli was chief of anesthesiology at Putnam County Hospital.
After a “thorough investigation”, investigators determined that an anesthesiologist had used chemicals to render the victim unconscious before assaulting her at his home.
Court Documents Obtained More horrifying details of the case, reported by the Associated Press, have emerged, including police testimony that the victim woke up four times in 2023 with a rag placed over his face and lost consciousness.
On December 29 of that year, she set up a hidden camera before Jacopelli entered her room, passed out, and woke up to watch the recording of the assault.
The woman took the footage to police, and Jacopelli was arrested.
Putnam County Sheriff’s Office Investigator Keith Simone testified that Giacopelli confessed to pouring the anesthetic sevoflurane into the rag to render the victim unconscious.
Investigators said the man confessed to having a “chloroform fetish” and sexually assaulted the nanny while she was sleeping.
Simone said Giacopelli told investigators he targeted the woman because she was “having trouble sleeping.”
The anesthesiologist also admitted to taking drugs from the hospital.
Simon said detectives found fentanyl and other drugs at his home.
Steven Gateman, the disgraced medical professional’s lawyer, told The Associated Press that Giacopelli “accepts responsibility for his crimes and is now focused on caring for his family.”
Pursuant to the plea agreement, prosecutors said Giacopelli “will be sentenced to four years in state prison and will be on supervised release for up to 10 years.”
He must register as a sex offender and his medical license has been revoked.
“I am extremely proud of the work of the Sheriff’s Department and Attorney Lynch, but I am especially proud of the courage of the victim who followed this process that led to the defendant’s arrest and conviction,” said District Attorney Robert V. Tendy.
