MALE VOICE: Right now, in high definition, the FOX 19 Morning News.
SHEILA: The other big story is Butler County pediatrician Scott Blankenburg expected to strike a deal today with prosecutors.
ROB: Our Meghan Mongillo joins us live from Hamilton with details. Hi, Megan.
MEGHAN MONGILLO: Well, hi, Rob and Sheila. We're at the Butler County Courthouse, where last Friday in the same courtroom Scott Blankenburg watched as his twin brother Mark was sentenced to more than 20 years in prison. Now he is ready to make a deal. That plea deal hearing is scheduled for 1:00 this afternoon. Details of the deal won't be released until then. Scott, a Fairfield pediatrician was indicted last year on 22 counts of sex and child porn charges involving former patients that were minors. He's been out on bond on house arrest with an electronic monitoring bracelet. Last Friday, as we said, he watched his twin brother Mark be sentenced to 21 to 27 years in prison for molesting three former patients and for giving them money and drugs to keep them quiet about. Now during his sentencing, the judge says Blankenburg showed a complete lack of remorse.
MIKE ALLEN: But demeanor is so important in the courtroom, especially in front of a jury. And I think he probably looked--and his attorney looked --at what happened to Mark and decided, "Hey, you know, I'm going to cut the best deal I can."
MEGHAN MONGILLO: The Middleton Journal News is reporting that the prosecutor and Scott's defense team have been negotiating on this deal for weeks. And it has been heated at times. Again, details won't be released until the 1:00 hearing. Reporting live in Butler County, Meghan Mongillo, FOX 19 News.
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