Posted on 10/28/2003 8:51:14 AM PST by NotJustAnotherPrettyFace
For years, Dr. H. Marc Watzman specialized in treating children, but federal prosecutors on Monday said he harbored a much darker interest in youngsters.
Watzman, an anesthesiologist living in Chicago who worked at Edward Hospital in Naperville and others throughout the state, collected more than 3,000 computer images of child pornography, had erased roughly 200,000 other images out of his computer and kept a stash of drugs in his apartment designed to knock people out, plus Viagra, prosecutors said.
Watzman, 37, of the 1400 block of North Wieland, even apparently took a laptop computer with child porn on it to Edward Hospital, according to a federal affidavit.
In a news conference, U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald stressed what Watzman had been charged with -- possessing child pornography -- and what he had not.
"I will also tell parents . . . not to panic, that there's been no allegation that there's been any patients involved in any of these pictures or any other conduct," Fitzgerald said.
Prosecutors urged a judge to keep Watzman, 37, locked up as a danger to children. They said there were more questions in the case than answers, including why Watzman was transferring money overseas and keeping a post office box.
But U.S. Magistrate Judge Nan Nolan said she was "definitely considering" bond for Watzman, as long as a relative came to Chicago to live with him. Nolan may decide by Friday.
Watzman's lawyer, Brian Collins, suggested prosecutors had paltry reasons to keep Watzman behind bars and simply wanted him locked up while they tried to gather more evidence to justify their request.
Watzman was a free-lancer who had worked at hospitals in Wichita, Kan.; Peoria; Rockford, and Philadelphia.
Edward Hospital called the charges against Watzman "very disturbing" and said he's an independent part-time contractor, on the medical staff since August. The state agency that licenses doctors said it had found no complaints against him but had launched an investigation.
Chicago pediatrician arrested with child porn, knockout drugs, officials say
At first I thought the Dr. was treating children who had been charged with child porn violations...
yeah, me too.
Two hundred THOUSAND!?!?!
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