Saginaw Pot Doc Will Remain Behind Bars

Jacob Bell

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Saginaw-based Dr. Ruth A. Buck will remain behind bars, U.S. District Judge Thomas L. Ludington ruled in U.S. District Court in Bay City about noon Thursday.

In an orange jail suit she stared forward, barely blinking, her glasses pinned her dirty-blond hair behind her ears, as she listened to the judge explained why she presented a danger to the public.

Minutes earlier she entered the Bay City courtroom almost seeming cheerful and waved to six supporters in the courtroom.

The court revoked Buck’s bond after the U.S. Attorney’s Office filed a criminal complaint alleging that Buck aided and abetted the distribution of marijuana in violation of federal law by providing medical marijuana recommendations to patients from her office, Mid-Michigan Medical Marijuana Clinic, 2137 Warwick in Saginaw.

Buck was charged separately with three counts of unlawfully distributing controlled substances in June of 2010.

Those charges stem from allegations that, between January 2006 and July 2009, Buck prescribed more than 1.5 million doses of painkillers such as Vicodin, OxyContin, Xanax, morphine, methadone and Dilaudid from her former office in Thomas Township, authorities have said.

Buck had been released on bond, but Ludington said, based on the criminal complaint filed on April 5, it appears she intended to continue prescribing medicine — whether or not the medicine is considered legal under federal law — with insufficient medical support for its necessity.

“It appears that she simply switched drugs” and continues “enabling” patients to receive legitimate medications for illegitimate needs, Ludington said.

The complaint says Buck issued 1,870 medical marijuana recommendations up until Drug Enforcement Administration agents raided her home, office and the office of a co-worker on March 17.

An undercover DEA agent acquired a recommendation from Buck after presenting a “fictitious” license and stating that he suffered headaches whenever he stopped smoking marijuana, the complaint said.

Carl J. Marlinga, Buck’s Clinton Township-based attorney, said the government has 30 days to get an indictment on the marijuana charge from a grand jury. Buck may work out a plea agreement with the prosecutor up until June 29, otherwise a trial will begin on Aug. 2.

Marlinga said he wasn’t surprised by the outcome but doesn’t believe his client is guilty on any of the charges.


News Hawk- Jacob Husky 420 MAGAZINE
Source: stamfordadvocate.com
Author: Gus Burns
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Copyright: Michigan Live LLC
Website: Saginaw pot doc will remain behind bars pending resolution of prescription pill case
 
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