Dr. Greg Salard is escorted by U.S. Marshals as he appears in U.S. District Court in Juneau on Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2014, on charges related to possession and distribution of child pornography. (Matt Miller/KTOO)
A former Wrangell doctor awaiting trial on child pornography charges is also wanted in Louisiana to face sexual assault charges.
Greg Salard appeared in Juneau court Tuesday on a felony charge of a fugitive from justice.
District Court Judge Thomas Nave told Salard that he faced of a maximum of five years in prison and a $50,000 fine if he is convicted.
State prosecutors said they didn’t know much about the original or underlying charge, but Assistant District Attorney Nick Polasky indicated that Caddo Parish issued a warrant for Salard on March 25. Salard was served with notice of the fugitive from justice charge on Monday, April 6 while he was being held at the Lemon Creek Correctional Center in Juneau.
Louisiana officials want Salard to face a charge of aggravated rape for alleged violations between January 2004 and July 2005. No other information about the charges was immediately available.
Judge Nave set bail at $800,000, or the same amount indicated in the Louisiana warrant.
Salard has another appearance in state court scheduled for May 5. He could agree to be extradited, or Polasky said Salard could challenge the potential extradition. Salard could file for a writ of habeas corpus which would require Louisiana officials to prove that they have the properly identified defendant and issue a governor’s warrant for extradition.
Salard is currently awaiting his trial starting May 27 in federal court on child pornography and distribution charges.
Salard was one of four medical providers in Wrangell. He was employed as a family doctor by Alaska Island Community Services and served under a contract with Wrangell Medical Center, the community’s hospital. Both organizations suspended Salard’s medical privileges after he was arrested at his home.
In the weeks following the arrest in October 2014, Salard surrendered his Alaska medical license and lost his job at AICS.
