McHenry doc gets probation for false prescriptions
A McHenry plastic surgeon was placed on 30 months probation in Lake County Circuit Court on Tuesday for forging prescriptions of a powerful pain killer for himself.
Dr. Bradford Roberg, 54, will have his conviction for forgery erased if he successfully completes the probation and his drug treatment program.
Roberg was arrested in May when he tried to use a fraudulent prescription for OxyCotin at the CVS drug store in Mundelein.
Store officials had been alerted by the federal Drug Enforcement Administration that Roberg was writing prescriptions in the name of a dead patient.
Lake County Assistant State's Attorney Rod Drobinski said records indicated Roberg had filled at least eight prescriptions in that person's name.
Roberg pleaded guilty to forgery Jan. 20.
Drobinski asked Circuit Judge Victoria Rossetti to include some time in jail in her sentence for Roberg.
"Even though the defendant is a first-time offender, he used his professional position to commit this crime," Drobinski said. "For that, he deserves incarceration."
But defense attorney Douglas Roberts of Waukegan argued Roberg was a much better candidate for rehabilitation than incarceration.
Roberts said Roberg became addicted to OxyCotin when he was given the drug for treatment for back pain, which has since been corrected by surgery.
Roberg developed a tolerance for the drug and began prescribing it for himself in larger and larger doses.
"But there is no indication he sold it," Roberts said. "There is no indication he did it for any other reason than to relieve his pain."
Roberts said Roberg's physicians license has been suspended, but he is eligible for reinstatement if he completes the Illinois Physicians Health Program in which he is currently enrolled.
Erasing the felony conviction from his record was essential to having Roberg's license restored, and Rossetti agreed to place him in a program that would allow that.
Rossetti also ordered Roberg to complete 250 hours of public service while on probation.