from www.triblocal.com – An Oak Park physician has been suspended from his job at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago following his arrest on drug and sex charges.

Joshua Baron, 37, of the 800 block of South Taylor Street in Oak Park, was arrested Thursday in Wilmette after allegedly attempting to trade drugs for sex after an undercover police officer responded to an advertisement on Craiglist.

Baron is a pediatric neurologist at Rush, specializing in epilepsy.

“He is being suspended pending further investigation,” said Deb Song, Rush spokeswoman. “He won’t be allowed on campus or allowed to see or admit patients here.”

During the e-mail exchange with undercover police, Baron “offered to exchange illegal prescriptions for sex acts,” according to a Wilmette Police Department news release. Baron then “traveled to Wilmette to facilitate this exchange and was arrested,” according to the release.

Baron was arrested at 1 p.m. Thursday at a private residence in Wilmette, but police did not want to release the address, said Det. Kyle Murphy.

An investigator noticed the Craigslist ad about a week ago, he said.

“We routinely check Craigslist for anything that could be criminally related to Wilmette, whether it’s property crime, drugs, etc.,” Murphy said.

Baron was charged with felony attempt delivery of a controlled substance and misdemeanor solicitation of a sex act.

His bond was set at $2,000 Friday morning and he was given a Jan. 21 court date at Skokie Courthouse.

According to the Rush University Medical Center Web site, Baron joined the Rush Pediatric Neurology division in July 2006.

In his work, Baron focuses on epilepsy, and has ongoing trials in examining sleep symptoms in children with epilepsy, as well as studies to evaluate novel pharmaceuticals, the site says.

Baron could not be reached for comment.