LAWRENCE COUNTY Ohio cops arrest doctor wanted on drug charges

Two others charged in the case waived their right to a preliminary hearing.
By LAURE CIOFFI
VINDICATOR NEW CASTLE BUREAU
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- A New Castle physician wanted on drug and fraud charges has been found in Medina, Ohio.
An arrest warrant was issued Sept. 23 for Dr. Philip Wagman by the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office after authorities announced charges against Dr. Wagman, another physician and a chiropractor on allegations they distributed massive amounts of OxyContin and other prescription drugs.
Dr. Wagman, 46, of Gretchen Road, was arrested at 4:30 p.m. Thursday after police got a tip from diners in an eatery, said Nils Fredericksen, spokesman for the Pennsylvania Attorney General's office. He is being held by local police until he can be extradited to Pennsylvania.
The two other men charged last week with Dr. Wagman waived their rights to preliminary hearings Thursday.
Dr. William Mangino II, 61, who listed his address as the Comfort Inn in New Castle, and chiropractor Dr. Thomas Wilkins, 41, of Mount Jackson Road appeared Thursday before District Justice J.V. Lamb.
Many patients
The three men worked together at Work Med and Chiro Med, located at 2017 W. State St., New Castle, in 2003 when the business was brought to the attention of the Pennsylvania Attorney General's office. Suspicions were raised when large numbers of people started congregating in front of the office in the early morning, followed by brief visits inside that resulted in frequent and large prescriptions for OxyContin and other drugs.
Authorities estimate the doctors put $50,000 worth of prescription drugs on the street each day. They were seeing about 100 patients each day.
Patients would first visit Dr. Wilkins, the chiropractor, and pay him $25 cash. They would then go to Dr. Wagman or Dr. Mangino and pay $40 for an office visit, according to the attorney general's office.
Dr. Wilkins and Dr. Mangino were arrested Sept. 23.
Both petitioned for and received reduced bonds Thursday. Dr. Wilkins' bond went from $1.5 million to $25,000 and Dr. Mangino's bond was reduced from $1 million to $50,000.
Dr. Mangino and Dr. Wilkins were still in the Lawrence County Jail as of 3 p.m. Thursday.
Jeff Baxter, senior deputy attorney general, said Dr. Mangino surrendered his U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency license after his appearance in Lamb's courtroom Thursday. Without the license he cannot write prescriptions for narcotics such as OxyContin, Baxter said.
Both men are expected to be formally arraigned in Lawrence County Common Pleas Court in about two months and then a trial date will be set.
It is unclear when Dr. Wagman will be returned to Pennsylvania.
cioffi@vindy.com