Former SAVAGE GRACE Guitarist Arrested For Allegedly Practicing Medicine Without License

Ex-SAVAGE GRACE guitarist/founding member Christian Logue was apparently arrested in California for practicing medicine without a license. The following report was issued by Jason Kandel of the L.A. Daily News:

A Hollywood man accused of "peddling false hope" by claiming to cure cancer and diabetes has been charged with practicing medicine without a license after duping San Fernando Valley residents out of thousands of dollars, officials said Tuesday.

Christian Logue, 43, was being held without bail at Los Angeles County Jail on 10 felony counts, including fraud, identity theft, grand theft and assault weapons charges. His arraignment is scheduled for today.

He is accused of performing blood tests, diagnosing patients and offering cures for cancer and diabetes, officials said. His fees ranged from $350 for an office visit to $1,000 for health aids that he claimed would cure disease.

"He was peddling false hope to people with cancer who are desperate for some type of treatment when all other treatments have failed," said Sgt. Steve Opferman of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

The county Health Authority Law Enforcement Task Force and the state Medical Board went undercover after getting a complaint from a cancer victim that a man who called himself Dr. Richard Santee was hosting medical seminars. Authorities determined that Dr. Santee was, in fact, Logue.

Daniel Hancz, a county pharmacist working with the task force, said Logue had taken premed classes at UCLA at some point and had traveled to Indonesia, where he learned about alternate forms of therapy, but was not licensed to practice medicine.

Logue treated 15 to 20 patients a week at the Ventura Center for Healing in Tarzana, where he rented space, officials said.

Authorities raided the center and Logue's apartment in Hollywood on Friday, seizing medical supplies and equipment, along with a cache of military-style weapons, thousands of rounds of high-powered rifle ammunition and hand grenades, officials said.

All but one of the grenades was found to be inert. One had a live fuse and explosive residue.

Deputies also seized stolen and forged Social Security cards, driver's licenses and bank cards in the names of "Richard Santee" and "Ricardo Santini."

Opferman said he believes that Logue had been posing as a doctor for about a year. Anyone who suspects they might have been a victim is asked to call the HALT tip line at (213) 989-7039.