The Mississippi State Board of Medical Licensure meeting Jan. 24 revoked the medical license of Dr. Robert S. Corkern based on his guilty plea to a charge of aiding and abetting in bribery involving federal programs.

The physician had been a principal in the 2005 sale of Tri-Lakes Medical Center by the City of Batesville and Panola County to a non-profit entity that declared bankruptcy in August, 2007. A lengthy federal investigation with former County Administrator David Chandler as key witness eventually brought charges stemming from conspiracy, kickbacks and bribes against Corkern, former hospital CFO Ray Shoemaker, Batesville businessman Lee Garner and Madison insurance agent Richard Edgerton.

The investigation culminated in a trial last March that lasted for more than a week.

In the trial, Shoemaker was found guilty on 10 counts and is now serving 55 months in prison. Garner was convicted on four counts, but in August he was acquitted on all counts by U. S. District Judge Neal Biggers, who had presided during the trial.

Edgerton was sentenced to two year’s probation and six months monitoring with an electronic device.

 Chandler entered a guilty plea to mail fraud and embezzlement. His sentencing, delayed after a November hearing before U. S. District Judge Sharion Aycock, is now set for Feb. 28 in Aberdeen.

Corkern was sentenced to two years’ house confinement and electronic monitoring. He was also ordered to pay $400,000 restitution.

The Medical Licensure board’s January decision came after its investigator filed a complaint in Dec., 2012 alleging Corkern guilty of having been convicted of a crime involving moral turpitude. Corkern’s appeal at the Jan. 24 meeting of the full Board of Medical Licensure was unsuccessful.

After closing his Batesville practice last year, Corkern was serving as the emergency room doctor in Delta Regional Medical Center in Greenville.