Twin Blankenburg doctors both in court for hearings

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Staff photo by Pat Auckerman Dr. R Scott Blankenburg sits with his attorney John "Jack" Garretson in Judge Noah Powers' courtroom Thursday, Nov. 19, in Butler County Common Pleas Court in Hamilton for a hearing on motions filed for his upcoming April trial on charges related to allegations of sex abuse, child pornography, money laundering and engaging in a pattern of corruption.

His twin brother was in court for hearing ahead of his April trial.

By Lauren Pack, Staff Writer Updated 8:20 AM Friday, November 20, 2009

HAMILTON — A Hamilton pediatrician will be sentenced next month for molesting patients at his F Street practice and for money laundering and drug charges.

Dr. Mark Blankenburg, 53, appeared in court Thursday afternoon, Nov. 19, in handcuffs and shackles and clad in an orange Butler County Jail jumpsuit a month after a jury found him guilty of 16 sex charges involving three former patients.

Butler County Common Pleas Judge Keith Spaeth set Blankenburg’s sentencing for 10 a.m. Dec. 11.

His twin brother, Fairfield pediatrician Dr. R. Scott Blankenburg, attended his brother’s hearing Thursday, which was minutes after a hearing on motions in his own case. Scott Blankenburg is scheduled to stand trial in April on similar charges before Judge Noah Powers.

During motions in Scott Blankenburg’s case, Powers set guidelines for taking depositions of witnesses out of the country and examination of expert witnesses. Both motions concerned the subjects pictured in the alleged child pornography found at the Blankenburgs’ home by Hamilton police.

Defense attorney Jack Garretson maintains all the models are 18 or older and the images are not child pornography.

In Mark Blankenburg’s case, a trial date of 9 a.m. May 24 was set by the judge to try Blankenburg on 12 charges involving child pornography that were severed from the original indictment.

The prosecution argued Blankenburg should be sentenced before the second trial. Defense attorney Michael Shanks said Thursday both the delay or immediate sentencing may benefit his client in different ways, but he could not make a legal argument for a delay.

Mark Blankenburg’s sentencing in December also will include his conviction on five counts of drug trafficking and one count of money laundering. Blankenburg waived his right to a jury trial on 25 charges — including drug trafficking, corrupting another with drugs, money laundering, bribery and engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity — and left that decision to Spaeth, who found him guilty of six of the 25 charges.

Blankenburg faces more than 80 years in prison for the combined 22-charge conviction.

Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2168 or lpack@coxohio.com.

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