North Andover Woman Indicted For Unlicensed Silicone Injections

NORTH ANDOVER, MA — A North Andover woman accused of illegally offering buttocks enhancements for $500 was indicted by a federal grand jury Thursday. Gladys Araceli Ceron, 71, of North Andover, had been arrested and pleaded not guilty to the charges in May. She was indicted on our counts of delivery for pay of an adulterated or misbranded medical device received in interstate commerce with the intent to defraud or mislead.

Ceron is due back in court Aug. 8. According to charging documents, federal investigators used a cooperating witness who arranged to have a buttock enhancement to build a case against Ceron, who ran her business in Lawrence. In addition to buttocks enhancements for $500, she offered wrinkle-filling injections for $60 and other services.

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.