Man Dressed as Woman Accused of Faking Medical Claims

Perla Serrano claimed to be a woman but he actually is a 51-year old man who, prosecutors said, masqueraded as a female to get into three local hospitals.

"He had enough personal information, including the victim's address, to obtain some type of health care card under the victim's name," said Jim Amormino, of the Orange County Sheriff's Department. "When confronted with the true facts by deputies, this person insisted he was the victim."

Serrano was arrested initially because he was caught sleeping overnight along El Camino Real in San Clemente. Investigators describe him as a transient, and believed he was a woman.

"He wore clothes that females would wear, such as a female-type sweatshirt with a hood, or female-type shirt or blouse, not necessarily a dress," Amormino said.

He was also wearing an identification bracelet from a San Clemente hospital, one of three in South Orange County where he's accused of racking up $100,000 in medical bills.

Serrano is facing six charges of identity theft, burglary and impersonation. The victim is said to resemble Serrano.

"This has been a nightmare for the victim," Amormino said, "as one could imagine."

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