Former Casper Doctor Pleads Guilty in Drug Case

A former Casper obstetrician/gynecologist who was convicted last month of sexually assaulting two patients entered a guilty plea in a separate case Thursday morning in Natrona County District Court.

Paul Michael Harnetty pleaded guilty to attempted possession of Nandrolone, a felony which is punishable by up to five years imprisonment and a fine of $10,000.

According an affidavit filed in the case, Harnetty ordered 12 bottles totaling 3.6 grams of the synthetic steroid Nandrolone, which is a schedule-three controlled substance. Harnetty ordered the drug from a person known as J. Wang, who ran a China-based online business named HK Market.

Harnetty submitted $555 in payment for the steroid, which he ordered in April 2016.

On April 18, 2016, a package which was supposed to contain the Nandrolone was delivered to Harnetty outside of his home. Harnetty signed for the package, which in reality contained "sham/bunk contents," according to court documents.

Law enforcement subsequently searched Harnetty's home.

Charging papers say the case was investigated by a special agent of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and Homeland Security Investigations.

In the plea agreement, Harnetty will not spend any time in prison, though prosecutors can ask for a suspended prison sentence.

They can also ask for intensive supeervised probation, or ISP, and time in the Casper Reentry Center. His sentence will run concurrently with his sentence in his sexual assault case.