Updated: BG man accused of practicing medicine without license pleads not guilty | News
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A Bowling Green man indicted for practicing medicine without a license and for various sex charges has pleaded not guilty.
William Van Robison, 68, was arraigned Friday in the courtroom of Wood County Common Pleas Judge Joel Kuhlman.
Robison was indicted Oct. 6 for practicing medicine without a license, a fifth-degree felony; two counts sexual battery, both third-degree felonies; gross sexual imposition, a fourth-degree felony; and sexual imposition, a third-degree misdemeanor.
Kuhlman said the sexual battery charges could warrant a prison sentence of 12-60 months each and registration as a Tier III sexual offender. He said he could impose a sentence of six-18 months in prison for the gross sexual imposition charge and registration as a Tier I sex offender.
Kuhlman continued, stating he could impose six-12 months for medical license charge, a 60 days in jail for the sexual imposition charge, which also must require a Tier I sex offender registration.
Defense attorney Scott Coon said his client has lived in Bowling Green for 35 years and has been aware of this investigation for the past four years.
He asked for an own recognizance bond.
Special Prosecutor Drew Wood recommended a $50,000 bond, house arrest with electronic monitoring, and no contact with the victims or prior or current patients.
He also asked that Robison not be allowed to continue offering massage therapy, trigger point therapy or relaxation massage as this is how he gained access to his victims.
Wood, who is an associate assistant to Ohio’s attorney general, also asked that Robison not operate his business, Myo-Fit Pain Management on North Main Street.
Coon protested, stating the state is trying to run his client out of business.
“There is no evidence before the court that he victimized anyone,” Coon said.
He said he will have 40 people at trial testifying as character witnesses.
Coon also strongly objected to the court limiting his client’s contact with his patients at this time.
Drew said during an interview, Robison acknowledged his license had lapsed in either 2011 or 2012. Drew said, to his knowledge, the license had not been renewed.
Coon said his client has told him he is licensed.
Drew said that by allowing Robison to continue to practice medicine, he is a danger to the community. He said the intent is not to run him out of business, but to prevent him from revictimizing or victimizing future patients.
Kuhlman set an own recognizance bond with the conditions the defendant have no contact with the alleged victims, he shall not practice in any area that requires a license he does not have, and to provide evidence of his licensure.
A pretrial was set for Dec. 10.
From June 1, 2015, to Dec. 31, 2017, Robison allegedly practiced medicine and surgery, or any of its branches, without the appropriate license or certificate from the state medical board; opened an office for such practice; or practiced medicine or surgery after his license had been revoked or suspended.
During that same time, he is accused of engaging in sexual conduct twice with a person he knew whose ability to appraise the nature of or control her conduct was substantially impaired; causing another to have sexual contact with him by purposely compelling that person to submit by force or threat of force; and having sexual contact with another knowing that contact was offensive or reckless.
https://www.sent-trib.com/news/updated-bg-man-accused-of-practicing-medicine-without-license-pleads-not-guilty/article_2c769758-38f1-11ec-92ac-dfadea6ed07e.html