Former pediatrician arrested on child porn, video voyeurism charges, sheriff’s office says

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB/Gray News) - A man formerly employed as a pediatric cardiologist has been arrested for possessing child pornography, authorities said.

According to the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office, 37-year-old Antonio Felipe Belda was arrested on Wednesday. He is facing charges that include more than 100 counts of pornography involving juveniles under 13 and 50 counts of video voyeurism.

WAFB reports the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System fired Belda after learning about the allegations and his arrest. The health system released the following statement:

“We are shocked to learn of the disturbing allegations against one of our recently employed physicians. When we became aware of these charges and arrest, the physician was immediately terminated with no further patient or staff contact.

Our physician hiring process is extremely rigorous and includes background checks, multiple reference checks and other nationally recognized best practices.

We will continue to cooperate fully with our law enforcement partners. As always, the safety and care of our patients and team members is our top priority.”

There was no immediate indication that any equipment was utilized at the hospital, according to authorities.

The sheriff’s office said it got assistance from the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation Cyber Crime Unit, Louisiana State Police and the Department of Homeland Security for the investigation that remains ongoing.

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