Z-ville Veterinarian Pleads Guilty

A Zanesville veterinarian pleads guilty to 11 counts in connection with a prescription drug trafficking ring.

The Muskingum County Prosecutors Office says that 53-year-old Michael Smith appeared before Common Pleas Judge Kelly Cottrill to enter the plea. Smith was originally charged with 16 counts of trafficking in dilaudid, 19 counts of illegal processing of drug documents and two counts of having weapons while under a disability.

All but the 11 counts will be dropped at sentencing. As part of a plea deal Smith must surrender his D-E-A registration and not practice veterinary medicine.

Judge Cottrill reduced Smith’s bond to 10-thousand dollars and released him until his sentencing date.