By FRANK LEWIS

PDT Staff Writer

Marshall Adkins, owner of Greater Medical Advance, sat quietly talking with friends in the courtroom of Judge William T. Marshall on Thursday afternoon waiting for a preliminary hearing on his case in an indictment brought by the Ohio Attorney General’s Office during a Dec. 20, 2011, raid on that facility in Wheelersburg.

About an hour after the hearing had been scheduled, Adkins’ attorney Mike Mearan came out to inform him that a pre-trial date has been set for Feb. 29, and a trial date for March 5. Adkins of 53 Brouse St., West Portsmouth, faces charges of conspiracy to engage in corrupt activity, funding drug trafficking, permitting drug abuse, and engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity.

About an hour earlier, two other defendants in the case also had their hearings and trial set. Dr. Victor Andrei Georgescu, the physician at the pain clinic, faces identical charges as those lodged against Adkins, and his attorney, Gene Meadows informed him he will have a pre-trial hearing on April 11, and a trial date of April 30.

Melissa Veach, an employee charged with aggravated drug possession, who was represented by Mearan, had her date for a pre-trial hearing on April 26, and a trial on May 10.

None of the hearings were in the courtroom. As is the case in many preliminary hearings, the proceedings took place in Marshall’s chambers.

On Dec. 20, State Attorney General Mike DeWine and members of his staff, along with Scioto County Sheriff, Marty V. Donini, served the indictments while padlocking the office on Ohio River Road.

Adkins, who had eluded authorities for several weeks before turning himself in at the Scioto County Courthouse, is the only one of the three defendants who remains in the Scioto County Jail.

Frank Lewis may be reached at 740-353-3101, ext. 232, or at flewis@heartlandpublications.com.