Elgin man charged with practicing medicine without a license

An Elgin man with a history of impersonating a doctor was arrested Wednesday for the second time in five years after he diagnosed an undercover police officer as having two blood clots in his head, police said.

Manuel Caravantes, 47, of the 1200 block of Getzelman Drive, appeared in court Thursday morning where he was charged with practicing medicine without a license, a felony, according to a police report.

Police said they heard recently Caravantes was attempting to practice medicine again after he pleaded guilty to the same charge on April, 8, 2004, and is still on probation for the offense, according to the Kane County state's attorney's office.

An Elgin detective checked with the Illinois Department of Professional Regulation and learned Caravantes did not have a license to practice medicine in Illinois.

An undercover police officer then set up an appointment to visit Caravantes on Dec. 4 for medical service at his office on the 200 block of Franklin Boulevard.

During the visit, the undercover officer paid Caravantes $30 and was wearing an eavesdropping device.

Caravantes made a diagnosis and told the officer he had two blood clots in his head, police said.

Police did not say what course of treatment Caravantes recommended.

Caravantes' bond was set at $2,000 Thursday and when he couldn't post the amount, he was taken to the Kane County jail to await a court date on Jan. 2, 2009.

Caravantes was first arrested in Gilberts on Feb. 12, 2004, where he diagnosed illnesses, treated injuries and prescribed medicine for dozens of patients for at least 18 months from his thriving medical clinic, according to reports.

The arrest was made after police searched his Gilberts home, which included a waiting room, coffee tables and magazines, an examining room and a storage room for medicine. The only thing missing was a medical license.

Police said his visa had expired and he was living in the United States illegally.

Caravantes pleaded guilty to practicing medicine without a license in 2004 in exchange for a 180-day Kane County jail sentence, 30 months of probation and a $350 fine.