Judge rejects plea deal for rogue doctor in bad surgery case

DETROIT (AP) — A judge has rejected a plea deal instead of sentencing a Detroit-area doctor who admits he hurt patients and cheated insurers through fraudulent spinal surgeries.

Federal Judge Paul Borman recently turned down an agreement that calculated Dr. Aria Sabit’s likely prison sentence somewhere between 9 years and 11 years.

It means Sabit will go to trial unless prosecutors and the defense come up with a deal that satisfies the judge.

Sabit had pleaded guilty to fraud, acknowledging that he performed unnecessary or improper surgeries that caused serious injury. He said he also got kickbacks in Ventura, California, for using certain implants.

Sabit moved to the Detroit area in 2011 while he was under investigation by regulators in California.