Mar 28, 2008 8:39 pm US/Central
Doctor Facing Sex Assault Charges Fails Drug Test
Bond Increased To $600,000
SKOKIE, Ill. (STNG) ―
A north suburban doctor facing sexual assault and child pornography charges stemming from his relationship with a 17-year-old girl had $100,000 added to his bond after traces of marijuana were found in his system.
Robert Hughes, 48, was arrested in his Wilmette home on March 3 and charged with giving a 17-year-old girl drugs in exchange for sex, and manufacturing child porn.
Hughes was ordered held on $500,000 bond at a hearing on March 5, but after a urine test came back positive for marijuana, Judge Timothy Chambers increased his bond Friday to $600,000, according to Cook County State's Attorney's office spokeswoman Tandra Simonton.
Hughes also has to pay a $10,000 fine for violating bail and submit a drug-free urine sample before being released from jail, Simonton said.
The crimes occurred at Hughes' apartment in the 700 block of Ridge Road in Wilmette, prosecutors allege. "The defendant had a habit, since he separated from his wife, of allowing teenagers to come to his apartment to do drugs and drink," Assistant State's Atty. Cathy Crowley said at the bond hearing.
The alleged victim "had a substance abuse problem," she added.
Crowley said Hughes met the 17-year-old through another teen and gave her "the means of obtaining and taking illegal drugs like heroin and cocaine."
Crowley said Hughes gave her money to buy drugs, drove her to the West Side of Chicago to buy them, and gave her clean needles to use.
The relationship began in the fall of 2007 and lasted until February, Crowley said. The girl's parents became concerned about their daughter's behavior and evidence she had drugs and money, a source said. They also "saw some questionable e-mails," a source said.
Hughes allegedly paid the girl money to perform lewd acts, which he would videotape. Her proceeds went to purchase drugs, Crowley said. Hughes also gave the girl prescription drugs, though he was not her physician, she said.
At one point, the alleged victim's parents put the girl in rehab and Hughes "used his position as a doctor to get access to her four times," Crowley said.
Wilmette police arrested Hughes after the girl's parents contacted police. They had discovered a text message from Hughes to their daughter offering "to transport their daughter to a location in Chicago to purchase illegal narcotics," police said in a statement.
Hughes faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted of criminal sexual assault and manufacturing child pornography.
His preliminary hearing was continued until April 11.
(Source: Sun-Times News Group Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2009. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
The Tattooed Ladies of Hollywood
Click to enlarge
Stumble It!
