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By Sam Lounsberry
Reporter-Herald Staff Writer
Pettine
FORT COLLINS — This month’s trial of a Johnstown doctor accused of fraudulently obtaining drugs was vacated Wednesday in district court.
Kenneth Pettine, a 63-year-old doctor whose business partners included the Premier Stem Cell Institute in Johnstown, was accused of forging five other doctors’ signatures to prescribe himself drugs between 2013 and 2016.
He is facing two counts of obtaining a controlled substance by fraud or deceit, both Class 4 drug felonies.
He agreed with the Colorado Medical Board to refrain from practicing medicine in May 2016, documents show.
Pettine appeared in court alongside his defense attorney Lee Christian on Wednesday and waived his right to a speedy trial by canceling the five-day jury trial that was set to begin April 24.
Both Christian and prosecuting attorneys said they believe Pettine’s case could be resolved without a trial, and it was reset for a status hearing April 25.
Pettine plead not guilty to both felony counts in December.
On Wednesday, however, Christian told 8th Judicial District Judge Julie Kunce Field she will further discuss the case with the District Attorney’s Office in the coming weeks.
An affidavit filed to the court by Johnstown police Detective Doug Slocum indicates that complaints were filed by patients of the Arete Surgery Center, 4397 Ronald Reagan Blvd., about procedures performed by Pettine during April 2016.
Slocum also said a physician’s assistant reported Pettine instructed her to manipulate a surgery’s operative notes to reflect differently from the actual procedure.
Additionally, Pettine allegedly removed expired medications from the facility himself, and also appeared “intoxicated” or “incoherent” during several patient consultations last year, according to the affidavit.
Three malpractice lawsuits were also filed against Pettine in 2016 and remain open, court records show.
The first suit was filed by Richard Callus on Sept. 19, the next by Richard Erickson on Nov. 11 and the third was filed by Stacy Wells Kiefer on Dec. 1.
All three civil suits are still proceeding through their respective courts.