The trial of a Virginia woman who allegedly performed illegal dental procedures at her husband’s legitimate veterinary hospital ended in a mistrial on March 3, according to multiple news articles.
During the second day of the trial against Cristina Caro-Valencia, it ended in a mistrial after a juror admitted to looking up the case online during a break in court proceedings. A new trial date for Caro-Valencia, who is charged with performing an invasive dental procedure without a license at an illegal business under the name Cosmetica Dental Lab, will be set later in March.
The judge ordered a mistrial after a juror admitted to other jurors that he had looked up details about the case online. The juror allegedly told the others that there was more to Caro-Valencia’s case than what was presented in court. Jurors are instructed to only consider evidence presented during proceedings and not to do any sleuthing on their own to ensure a fair trial.
When questioned, the juror admitted to searching and finding only the business location but no other details. However, the judge declared a mistrial anyway, according to the stories.
In June 2021, authorities began investigating Caro-Valencia after police got a tip that she was doing dental procedures without a license. The investigation revealed she was allegedly operating Cosmetica Dental Lab in the same building as The Veterinary Hospital of Virginia Beach, which Caro-Valencia owns and operates.
When the dental lab was searched, police seized dental instruments, dental fillers and molds, as well as receipts and payment ledgers, according to the stories.
