Photo of convict Randy Plein via The Daily Herald
PHILIPSBURG—The Court of First Instance has sentenced 37-year-old nurse Randy Ivan Johan Plein to four years imprisonment for molesting three female patients at the St. Maarten Medical Center (SMMC) between July 2022 and April 2024. In addition to the prison term, Plein has been banned from working in healthcare for nine years and ordered to pay NAf. 10,350 in damages to one of his victims.
Plein was accused of drugging two of his victims with Midazolam, a sedative often used in medical procedures, and molesting them while they were in a semi-conscious state. Although a box of Midazolam was found in his home, the court acquitted him of sexual assault, citing insufficient evidence to prove the drug was used in the assaults. However, the judge found Plein guilty of molestation, based on the consistency and reliability of the victims’ statements.
The court emphasized that Plein preyed on vulnerable women under his care, ignoring their needs and prioritizing his own sexual gratification. The sentence handed down is only slightly less than the prosecutor’s demand of 4½ years in prison. Plein, who has been working in St. Maarten since 2019, had a prior conviction in Suriname for a similar offense in 2016.
This case has sparked a broader discussion about patient safety in St. Maarten’s healthcare sector.
About The Author
