CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) - The lawyer for a 60-year-old South Carolina doctor found guilty of trading painkillers and anti-anxiety drugs for money and sex says the physician wrote the prescriptions for legitimate medical purposes.

Defense lawyer Chris Adams said Dr. Ronald Hargrave of Mount Pleasant plans to appeal his conviction this week on federal distribution of controlled substances charges.

Adams says each of the four patients leading to the charge has medical conditions and Hargrove wrote the prescriptions to help them.

Adams says Hargrove has been a great doctor for 35 years and was devastated by the verdict.

He faces up to 20 years in prison when he is sentenced later.

Prosecutors say Hargrove went with one patient to an out-of-town pharmacy and exchanged sex for painkillers in another case.

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