A Brenham dentist is free on bail after being charged with three counts of prescription fraud involving pain medication.

According to police reports, Dr. Brian Baird admitted to using the names of his father and deceased mother, along with forging his wife's signature, to fill prescriptions that he said he wrote for hydrocodone. The drug is a concentrated pain reliever that is available by prescription only.

A warrant was issued for Baird's arrest in December after a pharmacist at a Walgreens in Bryan who handled Baird's prescriptions told authorities about the suspicious activity.

The pharmacist told authorities that on three different occasions in July 2007 and August 2007, Baird entered the pharmacy at 3312 E. 29th St. and filled prescriptions for the drug for family members and antibiotics for himself, according to court documents.

Louis Leichter, Baird's lawyer based in Austin, said that his client became dependent on hydrocodone due to an increase in frequency and severity of migraine headaches.

"He subsequently entered treatment to better help handle his physical condition," Leichter said. "Dr. Baird was not responsible for any clinic duty, nor did he see any patients while he was suffering from this dependency."

Police said Baird was interviewed by the Texas State Board of Dental Examiners in October 2007 when he admitted to writing the prescriptions and filling them for himself.

Fread Houston, general counsel for the state board, said that prescription fraud is a professional conduct violation that may subject a licensee to penalties that could include a fine up to $5,000 for each incident, restricted prescribing ability, participation in a peer assistance program and license suspension or revocation.

"The agency takes into account the nature and extent of the violation and supporting evidence in determining a final disciplinary action," Houston said.

A Walgreens media relations spokesman, Michael Polzin, said that staff members always are on the lookout for suspicious or unusual activity by both consumers and doctors.

"During [the pharmacist's] introduction to our system, we address situations like this. Complementary to that, the professional experience of the pharmacists and their knowledge of a specific doctor's prescription habits helps identify possible problems," Polzin said.

Baird posted $90,000 bail -- $30,000 for each charge --a week ago and was released. Prescription fraud is a third-degree felony, which is punishable by up to 10 years in prison or a fine of no more than $10,000.

• John Braden's e-mail address is john.braden@theeagle.com.

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