Nurse loses job over lewd conduct charge

Ray Fetcho lost his job this week — because of a 1976 conviction for promoting a lewd act.
Fetcho, a 61-year-old south Florida licensed practical nurse, hosted a “Wet Jockey Shorts Night” as “Tiny Tina,” his drag queen alter-ego, at the Copa on in March 1976. He was convicted of promoting “lewd and lascivious” behavior by throwing small buckets of water on participants’ briefs.

“Tiny Tina” was just one part of Fetcho’s life. In his professional life, Fetcho was an LPN. For the past 15 years, Fetcho was employed at Victoria Villa, an assisted living facility in Davie, where he was known as an outstanding nurse. Staff, patients and family members commented on his compassionate care.

But when the Florida state-licensing agency, the Agency for Health Care Administration, noticed his lewd act conviction during a routine screening of nursing home employees, they told Fetcho he was ineligible to remain at his job. Victoria Villa fired Fetcho.

Fetcho has hired Ft. Lauderdale constitutional rights attorney Norm Kent, who is also the publisher of South Florida Gay News. Kent is confident that Fetcho will be able to gain an exemption, based on his years of exemplary employment, and return to work as an LPN.

For now, though, Fetcho is out of a job.