A former nurse anesthetist has been found guilty of sexually assaulting 19 female patients, including some underage girls, he had anesthetized at a hospital, surgery center and dentist's office in Cobb County, Ga., and of recording the assaults on his cell phone.

Paul Serdula, 48, was arrested 3 times between November 2009 and December 2010 on charges of sexual assault, child molestation and unlawful surveillance, the Marietta Daily Journal reports. Several images of the assaults were found in Mr. Serdula's cell phone when it was searched by police. In 2 separate indictments, Mr. Serdula was accused of sexually assaulting a total of 19 victims, including 2 girls under the age of 16, many of whom were unconscious at the time of the assaults.

Mr. Serdula faces the possibility of life in prison at sentencing, which is expected to take place next month. He did not plead guilty but did admit to 20 pages of facts filed under seal and presented at his bench trial. There were no witnesses or evidence presented in open court. Rather, Superior Court Judge Reuben Green rendered his verdict after reviewing the facts and several photographs in his chambers last week, according to local news reports.

Mr. Serdula"?s attorney told reporters his client wanted to forego a jury trial to spare the victims the trauma of reliving the crimes. He did not plead guilty, though, because his attorney plans to contest the means by which police obtained a search warrant for his cell phone.

Irene Tsikitas