A University of Georgia psychology professor has been accused of asking a student to get him a prescription drug while on a spring break trip.
The professor, Charles Lance, surrendered to authorities Friday morning, his attorney said, and was released later in the day from the Athens-Clarke County Jail.
Arrest warrants had been issued charging Lance with three counts of possession of prescription drugs not in a proper container and one count of attempting to obtain dangerous drugs through fraudulent means.
During class, Lance allegedly asked a student, whose name was not released, to buy him bupropion while in Mexico, according to UGA Police Chief Jimmy Williamson. Lance told the class the prescription medication is the “happy, horny, get skinny drug,” Williamson said.
When the student later turned in a paper to Lance, he allegedly asked her again to get the medication and showed her a prescription bottle, according to police. The student reported the incident to a school administrator, who contacted campus police, Williamson said.
Investigators searched the professor’s office, where they located other prescription drugs not in their original containers, police said.
“The charges made in this case involve common prescription drugs and are not controlled substances,” Elizabeth Grant, attorney for Lance, said in a statement. “I have reviewed the criminal charges and am prepared to vigorously defend all allegations that Dr. Lance attempted to obtain medication by fraud or deceit.”
The remaining charges, Grant said, “involve prescription medication being consolidated in a single bottle instead of stored in individual prescription bottles. Many Georgians don’t realize the law requires them to keep prescriptions in their original labeled bottle rather than consolidating different prescriptions into one container.”
Lance, a tenured professor, has been placed on administrative leave without pay pending the outcome of the investigation, police said.
Grant said her client plans to appeal his suspension.
“Dr. Lance has been a member of the UGA psychology faculty for more than two decades,” she said. “He has a long history of scholarship and academic accomplishments. Dr. Lance is saddened, and regretful for these recent events. He looks forward to the opportunity to present his defense in court.”
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