Illinois doctor's drug case moved to federal court

CHICAGO — A doctor from north-central Illinois is in federal custody on charges of illegally providing patients with prescription painkillers and anti-anxiety drugs.

Sixty-two-year-old Constantino Perales of Peru was charged with 17 counts of illegally dispensing oxycodone and alprazolam to three patients. The federal indictment was made public Friday.

Perales' attorney could not be reached for comment.

Perales had been facing state charges that were filed after a raid on his office and an earlier arrest in August. The U.S. Attorney's Office in Chicago says the state charges were dismissed with his transfer to federal custody this week.

If found guilty, Perales faces a maximum of 20 years in prison for each count.