Bucher is charged with seven counts of aggravated trafficking in drugs and two counts of trafficking in drugs. If convicted on all charges, he could face up to 22 years in prison.
Prosecutors say Bucher sold pills to a person while at his office, Ohio Family Practice on Morning Sun Road, according to court documents. He is accused of selling hydorcodone, Oxycodone, Alprazolam and promethazine with codeine.
Bucher waived his right to appear for arraignment and his attorney Christopher Pagan entered a not guilty plea on his behalf. The doctor was released on his own recognizance.
At Monday’s hearing, Bucher did appear with his attorney. Pagan argued to the judge that the bill of particulars spelling out the charges against his client needs to include a description of “sell” and must cite a legal statue that is needed to prosecute a physician.
“It is unconstitutional to prosecute a physician on the basis of administration regulated violation,” Pagan said.
Prosecutors have filed additional paper work and would file more addressing Pagan questions, said Assistant Butler County Prosecutor David Kash.
“The doctor allegedly was not practicing medicine according to (state law),” Kash said after a grand jury handed down the indictment.
The allegations were referred to the Butler County Prosecutor’s Office following an investigation by the Ohio State Medical Board.
Bucher is scheduled to be back in court on Dec. 2.
Bucher, who has practiced medicine for 34 years, has a family medicine practice at Oxford Family Medicine and is affiliated with McCullough-Hyde Memorial Hospital-TriHealth as well as other area hospitals. He holds a medical degree from the University of Cincinnati.
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