A New York man who illegally performed plastic surgery inside his apartment, leaving a 31-year-old mother brain dead, has been sentenced to up to 15 years behind bars.
Felipe Hoyos Foronda, 40, was sentenced to five to 15 years in prison by New York Supreme Court Justice Ushir Pandit-Durant for his role in the death of Maria Penaloza, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced on Thursday, July 29.
The sentence came one month after Hoyos Foronda pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter.
The deadly procedure took place on March 28, 2025, inside Hoyos Foronda’s apartment in Astoria, Queens.
According to prosecutors, Penaloza arrived at the apartment at approximately 1 p.m. to have her buttock implants removed.
Hoyos Foronda was not licensed to practice medicine anywhere in the United States, but authorities said he still attempted to perform the cosmetic procedure.
He allegedly injected Penaloza with saline and lidocaine, a local anesthetic, using a syringe.
Shortly after receiving the injection, Penaloza became lightheaded and went into cardiac arrest, prosecutors said.
Emergency responders later found her unconscious and lying on a medical chair inside the apartment.
She was rushed to a local hospital, where doctors found no signs of brain activity.
Penaloza remained on life support for several days before she was taken off the machines on April 11, 2025.
An autopsy later determined that she died from lidocaine toxicity caused by the anesthetic injection administered during the cosmetic procedure.
Investigators who searched Hoyos Foronda’s apartment said they discovered an apparent makeshift medical setup.
Authorities recovered a metal IV stand, syringes, numerous injectable substances, a container used to discard needles and several other medical supplies.
Hoyos Foronda was arrested later on the same day as the botched procedure at John F. Kennedy International Airport.
Prosecutors said a Port Authority police officer stopped him as he attempted to board a flight to Florida. His final destination was reportedly Colombia.
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said Hoyos Foronda had no legitimate reason to be practicing as either a doctor or a surgeon.
“Felipe Hoyos Foronda – who had no business practicing as a doctor or surgeon – ended the life of a young mother when he gave her a lethal dose of anesthesia and then attempted to flee the country,” Katz said.
She added that the prison sentence could not reverse the tragedy but expressed hope that it would provide some comfort to Penaloza’s grieving family.
“Today’s sentence cannot undo this tragedy, but we hope it brings a measure of solace to Maria Penaloza’s loved ones as they continue to grieve her senseless loss,” Katz said.
