Doctor pleads not guilty to 78-count indictment

YOUNGSTOWN

The doctor who pleaded not guilty Tuesday at his arraignment in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court to a 78-count indictment he was selling painkillers and other drugs illegally had more than $1 million in assets seized by prosecutors.

William Paloski, 74, of Canfield had an immediate hearing on whether bond should be set in his case. His attorney David Betras argued his client should be released on his own recognizance, telling Magistrate Tim Welsh that besides the seized assets, his client has no criminal record, and the charges resulted from a warrant served at his offices 18 months ago, and during that entire time his client has not left the area.

Welsh deferred the bond request to Judge R. Scott Krichbaum, who is the trial judge in the case. Judge Krichbaum did give Paloski a personal recognizance bond, which means he simply had to sign a written promise to appear. No bail had to be posted.

After the hearing, Paloski was booked into the county jail, then released.

The indictment last week accused Paloski of illegally prescribing drugs from 2012 to 2015. It is the second time he has faced such charges. He also faced a multicount indictment in the 1980s but those charges were dropped.

Betras said among the items seized by prosecutors were a wedding ring Paloski gave to his wife and a $40,000 vehicle.

Betras said there is also an issue in the case that he is appealing to the 7th District Court of Appeals, and he hopes to have a hearing next week. Those were all factors, Betras said, that show his client would show up for court and would not leave the jurisdiction.