North Andover Woman Gave Unlicensed Silicone Injections: Feds

NORTH ANDOVER, MA — Federal investigators used a cooperating witness who arranged to have a buttock enhancement to build a case against a North Andover woman. Investigators say 71-year-old Gladys Araceli Ceron ran her business in Lawrence, offering unlicensed silicone injections, including buttocks enhancement for $500 and wrinkle-filling injections for $60. She was scheduled to be arraigned in federal court in Boston Wednesday afternoon on charges of delivery for pay of an adulterated or misbranded device received in interstate commerce.

Authorities say Ceron received "gluteal material" from Florida over an eight-year period. In 2016, they executed a search warrant of her home and seized plastic bottles of cosmetic silicone fillers. Last year they recorded a series of phone calls between Ceron and the informant. They also searched the business in Lawrence and found several bottles and syringes of silicone oil, as well as uncapped, used, syringes.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration warns can travel through blood vessels and cause a stroke, death or permanent disfigurement. Anyone who believes they may be a victim of this crime should contact usama.VictimAssistance@usdoj.gov.

If convicted, Ceron faces up to one year in prison, one year of supervised release, and a fine of $100,000.

Dave Copeland can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).