San Diego doctor receives just 30 DAYS in prison for hiding camera in bathroom of VA clinic

A San Diego area doctor has been sentenced to just one month in prison for secretly filming women inside the bathrooms of a clinic where he worked. 

Dr. Vincent Tran, 52, recently pleaded guilty to five counts of filming women inside two unisex bathrooms of a Veterans Affairs Clinic in Chula Vista for several months.

Officials from the San Diego County District Attorney's Office confirmed Tran received just 30 days in prison as well as one-year probation for the filming of women, including two nurses.

Tran, who has been a doctor since 2007, purchased cameras that looked like pens in February 2020 and left them in the restrooms for several months. 

'They were devastated. They both describe it as being violated. That it is tantamount to a sexual assault. It was something that really caused them great emotional distress,' said Paul Starita, a lawyer for two of Tran's victims. 

Dr. Vincent Tran, 52, was sentenced to just 30 days in prison for secretly recording women inside unisex bathrooms at a V.A. Clinic in San Diego where he worked 

The man placed cameras that looked like pens inside unisex restrooms and would record for 25 minutes at a time before retrieving the pens to recharge and download the video

In June, the lawyer for the nurses claimed V.A. officials were negligent in not taking additional actions to protect the privacy of all employees, but especially female workers. 

'The V.A. knew or should have known that they needed to protect their female employees,' Starita said. 

'And by having a unisex restroom, at a minimum, they should have swept that restroom to make sure there were no recording devices in the restroom,” the lawyer said earlier this year.

In court filings from June, federal attorneys argue that unisex bathrooms are used to protect people's rights, not infringe on them. 

'The V.A. is not alone in working through these sensitive issues,' a court filing read.

'For instance, the State of California recently passed legislation requiring “all single-user toilet facilities in any business establishment, place of public accommodation, or state or local government agency” to be “identified as all-gender toilet facilities” through certain signage,' the filing continued. 

'These are quintessential policy questions; “judicial second-guessing,” as the Plaintiffs' attempt, is prohibited...' the legal documents stated. 

This is the Chula Vista V.A. Clinic where Tran secretly placed the cameras inside unisex restrooms

The doctor secretly recorded women inside the bathrooms for several months

The exact locations where the 'pens' were placed inside the bathrooms  is unknown

State Court Judge Garry Haehnle earlier this month ordered Tran to pay restitution to his victims and the man will be required to avoid all V.A. hospitals and complete treatment, according to CBS 8 San Diego. 

Despite his actions, the family medicine doctor will be able to return to practice in five years after the suspension of his license has ended. 

Earlier this year, the California Medical Board decided to place Tran on probation following the shocking news of his actions. 

Tran had initially faced 14 misdemeanor counts of secretly filming a person and invading their privacy with a concealed camera, local media reported. 

The cameras were eventually discovered in hospital restrooms in March 2021. 

During the investigation, officials discovered recordings of several women on Tran's personal electronic devices. 

Paul Starita, an attorney for two of the victims, said the women feel 'violated' after the camera was discovered 

Photos of Tran's medical license shows he specializes in family medicine 

According to the Medical Board, the pens would record approximately 25 minutes of footage at a time. 

Tran told investigators he would retrieve the cameras from the restrooms and then view what the cameras had caught.  

'[Tran] stated he would recharge the batteries and then replace the cameras in the restroom for further recording,' the Medical Board said. 

The doctor was originally charged in June and just days later, two nurses who were filmed at the hospital filed a civil suit against Tran. 

Despite his actions, the family medicine doctor will be able to return to practice in five years after the suspension of his license has ended 

Video recorders like the one Tran used to record women inside the unisex restroom can be purchased on Amazon, some for as little as $36.99 

Starita said earlier this year his clients are seriously 'concerned' over Tran's ability to continue practicing despite the investigation. 

'Our clients are nurses. And they're concerned about the fact that he's still out there in the community and still caring for patients,' Starita said in June. 

Local outlets reported Tran's license wasn't temporarily revoked until the end of June. 

'The V.A. knew or should have known that they needed to protect their female employees,' Starita said in June 

Affected individuals were notified in May 2021, according to the attorney, more than two months after the cameras were discovered inside the unisex bathrooms. 

Earlier this year, Kristen Friedman, a lawyer for Tran described the doctor as a 'devoted family man.' 

'Dr. Tran has an impeccable reputation and stellar twenty-year career as a medical professional,' Friedman told San Diego outlets.

DailyMail.com reached out to the Veterans Affair Clinic and Tran's lawyers for Tran but did not receive a response by time of publication.