A British Columbia man has ended three months on the lam by turning himself in to police at Scarborough’s 42 Division on Nov. 16.
Tung Sheng (David) Wu, 62, is now back in B.C., where he will serve three months in jail for contempt of court. The contempt charge stems from an investigation by the College of Dental Surgeons of British Columbia (CDSBC).
According to court documents, the investigation showed Wu allegedly ignored a 2003 order to cease practising dentistry and he continued his practice illegally until earlier this year.
Wu was absent during the legal proceedings against him and was found to be in contempt by the B.C. Supreme Court on Oct. 14.
Toronto Police Service Staff Sergeant Paul MacIntyre said he believes Wu was already in Toronto in summer of 2013.
“I spoke to him briefly and it looks like he probably came here in early August, right around the time that the warrant was issued” MacIntyre said. “But we’re not 100-percent sure.”
A Canada-wide arrest warrant was issued for Wu on Aug. 12 and the CDSBC offered $2,000 for information leading to his arrest.
A CDSBC representative declined interview requests. However a statement made in August on the college’s website speculated Wu intended to continue working as a dentist, possibly in Toronto.
Wu appeared in court in Toronto on Nov. 18 and was held until Nov. 21, when B.C. sheriffs brought him back to Vancouver.
In addition to three months in jail, Wu has been ordered to pay for the investigation costs the CDSBC incurred in prosecuting him. The total amount of these costs has not yet been decided.
The CDSBC said they began investigating Wu after a patient complained about the treatment she received from him. The college hired a private investigator to conduct surveillance on Wu’s home in Burnaby, B.C.
On May 29, the CDSBC raided Wu’s home along with the RCMP. The CDSBC reported that they discovered a dental office in a bedroom, as well as dental supplies and approximately 1,500 client files. The college alleges that Wu may have been working as a dentist illegally since the 1990s.
The college suggests that anyone who has been exposed to an unlicenced dentist be tested for Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
So far, none of Wu’s patients have tested positive for infection.