Physician Facing Drug Charges Opts for Trial

By Brian Cole

Published on December 06, 2006

Hornick is charged with second, third, and fourth degree criminal possession of a controlled substance. He was found to have morphine, methodone, and fentanyl in his car outside a pharmacy. Hornick’s attorney, Kent Sprotberry, says his client was in legal possession of the drugs, which he planned to use to treat his patients.

After a long chat with Hornick, Sprotberry said his client told him that he could not plead guilty to something he didn’t do, even if that meant risking his freedom and medical license. Under the plea deal that was being negotiated, Hornick, a 63-year-old Niskayuna resident, would have likely faced fines instead of imprisonment and the possibility of losing his medical license.

District Attorney Robert M. Carney’s only comment on the case was that he was optimistic the two sides would reach some kind of agreement.