DRUG CASE Medina County sheriff returns doctor

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for next Tuesday.
By LAURE CIOFFI
VINDICATOR NEW CASTLE BUREAU
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- Dr. Philip Wagman returned to the area Monday afternoon from Medina County, Ohio, where he was picked up by deputy sheriffs Thursday.
Police had been searching for him for about a week on charges involving prescriptions for the drug OxyContin. He is Lawrence County jail.
Dr. Wagman, 46, of Gretchen Road, is charged with 19 felony counts of violating Pennsylvania's Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act; 11 counts of Medicaid fraud; one count of conspiracy to commit Medicaid fraud; and one count of conspiracy to violate the drug act.
District Justice J.V. Lamb set Dr. Wagman's bond at $1.5 million. His preliminary hearing is set for 1 p.m. next Tuesday.
Believed to be flight risk
Greg Smith, an agent with the Pennsylvania attorney general's office, said they asked for a high bond because Wagman was aware that there was an arrest warrant issued for him, but he had to be picked up by authorities in another state.
Dr. Wagman told Medina deputies that he was returning to Lawrence County to surrender to authorities. But the deputies found him only after a manager at a Bob Evans restaurant became suspicious after overhearing Dr. Wagman talking on his cellular telephone about getting a one-way ticket.
The sheriff's office reported that officials found two handguns, two shotguns, ammunition and $13,086 in cash in Dr. Wagman's car.
The Pennsylvania attorney general announced charges against Dr. Wagman, Dr. William Mangino and chiropractor Thomas Wilkins two weeks ago.
Wilkins, 41, of Mount Jackson Road, is free on $25,000 bond. Dr. Mangino remains in the county jail after failing to make $50,000 bond.
Their business
Authorities said the three worked together at Work Med and Chiro Med on West Washington Street in New Castle.
The business was brought to the attention of the attorney general's office when authorities noticed large numbers of people gathering in front of the office in the early morning, followed by brief visits inside that resulted in frequent and large prescriptions for OxyContin, a powerful pain killer, and other drugs.
According to authorities, Dr. Wagman boasted that he put $50,000 worth of OxyContin on the streets each day.
cioffi@vindy.com