Buffalo Grove physician charged with trading drugs for sex acts

A Wilmette doctor with a practice in Buffalo Grove was arrested Monday on sexual assault and child pornography charges.

Robert Hughes works for Advocate Medical Group on McHenry Road in Buffalo Grove. He has been licensed as a doctor in family practice since 1984 and member of the medical group since 1988.

Wilmette police said Hughes gave illegal and prescription drugs to a 17-year-old in exchange for sex acts. Prosecutors said Hughes charged the legal drugs through one of his patient's insurance.

His bond was set at $500,000 Tuesday in Skokie.

Hughes, 48, has been charged with two counts of criminal sexual assault, two counts of manufacturing child pornography, felony possession of cannabis, and endangering the health and welfare of a child.

Hughes met the 17-year-old through another teenager, according to the Cook County state's attorney's office. His relationship to that first teenager is unknown, however.

Hughes paid the 17-year-old to perform lewd acts, which he taped, the state's attorney's office said.

The family of the girl became suspicious when Hughes came to visit the 17-year-old when she was in a lock-down facility for treatment. The parents also found a text message to their daughter from Hughes.

If convicted, Hughes faces four to 15 years in jail.

Hughes has lived in his Wilmette condominium building for about two years, according to ABC 7 Chicago. His next door neighbor told ABC that he never noticed anything suspicious, but Hughes was far from friendly.

"I'd see him every once in a while. I just took it as being arrogant, you know," said Steve Stein, his neighbor.

Police have said that so far there are no indications that Hughes met his victim through his medical practice.

Buffalo Grove police said they aren't involved in the investigation and wouldn't be unless there's evidence to suggest criminal activity is tied to the medical practice.

"There doesn't appear to be any link to Buffalo Grove, unless the case develops - unless a victim develops from here or if they decide that there's potential for search warrants on his computer," said Police Cmdr. Steve Husak. So far, that hasn't happened, he said.

Hughes will be back in the Skokie courthouse Monday.