Pediatrician Trades Pills for Sex and Pics from People He Treated as Children | Crime Alert 4PM 03.25.26

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I'm Drew Nelson, a former Missouri pediatrician and sentenced to 20 years in prison after

admitting he traded prescriptions for sex, photos and money from vulnerable patients.

Craig Speagle, age 70, was sentenced in federal court in St. Louis County after pleading

guilty to distributing controlled substances, making false statements and conspiracy.

Prosecutors say his crimes stretched from 2014 through May of 23 and involved at least

19 patients, many of whom he had treated as children.

Investigators say Speagle prescribed opioids and other drugs in exchange for sex acts,

nude photos or cash.

They say he targeted women struggling with addiction and used that vulnerability to pressure

them.

In some cases, prosecutors say he arranged encounters at his office in Bridgerton or

at the victim's homes.

Court records show Speagle admitted he continued prescribing drugs, even when he knew patients

had substance use disorders.

In one case, a woman identified as NL later died from an overdose.

Prosecutors say he also prescribed drugs to a co-defendant in exchange for sexual favors

while knowing she was addicted and selling some of the pills.

Federal programs, including Medicare and Medicaid, suffered more than $114,000 in losses tied

to his prescriptions.

After sentencing U.S. Attorney Thomas Albus, focused on the victims and what they endured.

We kind of get sick of talking about the defendant and frankly words kind of fail you when

you're trying to talk about what he did.

It's enough to just survive being treated like this as a victim.

But what we eat in the criminal justice system is for the victims to not just survive it,

but to say, look, I've got to see this through.

That's the heroic thing that went on today that there was accountability and that the victims

were heard.

Investigators say the case only came to light because victims came forward and reported

what was happening.

He was encouraged and police detective Matt Paxton spoke about their impact.

The courage is always greatly appreciated and again, in the cases like this, not all

the victims come forward and it takes a lot of courage to do so.

Spiegel also admitted lying under oath during a court hearing in 2025 while trying to challenge

evidence taken from his phone.

A judge called his actions a severe breach of trust and said the harm caused to victims

was profound.

Spiegel claimed his behavior was partially to blame on losing family in the Holocaust.

Spiegel apologized in court and asked for a lesser sentence, but the judge imposed

the full 20 years.

The case now closes with what prosecutors describe as accountability for years of exploitation

and abuse.

More crime and justice names after this.

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Now faces preliminary charges of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicating and operating

while intoxicated, endangering a person.

Both are misdemeanors.

She has been placed on administrative leave and stripped of her police powers.

Police say Harris was the on-call detective Sunday evening and responded to an active investigation.

She is assigned to the department's child abuse unit and has been working with IMPD for

eight years.

According to the department, other officers at the scene began to suspect something was

wrong as the investigation wrapped up.

Police reported smelling alcohol on her breath and notified a supervisor.

A sergeant was called to the scene right away, but the time the supervisor arrived, police

say Harris had already left in her vehicle.

Investigators say the sergeant then called Harris and ordered her to pull over so they

could meet.

Police say she ignored that order and continued driving to her home.

Lieutenant later met her there and also believed she was under the influence.

Harris was taken to a hospital for a blood draw as part of the investigation.

People say the results confirmed she wasn't intoxicated.

She was then arrested on two misdemeanor charges.

The case Harris originally responded to has now been reassigned to another detective

as the department continues the internal investigation.

A three-year-old boy taken overseas for a visit with his father, never came home and 16 years

later his case remains unsolved.

Elias Bodys was last seen in Sacramento, California before traveling to Morocco to visit

his non-custodial father, Murad Al-Kanuni in 2009.

He was supposed to return home on September 26th, but he never did.

Investigators say the visit turned into a family abduction.

Elias's mother, Eva Pena, went to Morocco to bring her son back.

Court records show she was granted custody through Moroccan court.

But before she could recover him, authorities say his father went into hiding with the child.

Since then, there has been no confirmed contact.

Authorities believe Elias may still be in Morocco.

He could be with his father or possibly with other adults.

Today he'd be around 19.

His short brown hair and brown eyes is a birthmark on the left side of his abdomen.

He may go by the name Eli, or the name Elias Matthew Pena.

His father may also use the name Murad Al-Kanuni.

The case remains active.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office at 916-874-5115.

For the latest crime and justice news, follow Crime Alert hourly update on your favorite

podcast app, with this crime alert I'm Drew Nelson.

Hi listeners, I'm Andrea Gunning, host of Betrayal.

Season 5 follows one woman as she uncovers her husband's secret life.

The one he led when the lights went out.

I'm excited to share the Betrayal season 5 story with you and want to let you know that

you can get access to all episodes of season 1, season 2, season 3, and season 4 of

Betrayal, and every single episode of Betrayal season 5 100% add free with an I-Hart True

Crime Plus subscription, available exclusively on Apple Podcasts.

Plus you'll get access to all episodes of Betrayal season 5 one week ahead of everyone

else, available only to I-Hart True Crime Plus subscribers.

So don't wait, has Apple Podcasts search for I-Hart True Crime Plus and subscribe

today.