HERBALIST IN ALPINE PLEADS GUILTY TO REDUCED CHARGE

An Alpine researcher and herbal marketer has pleaded guilty in 4th Circuit Court to a reduced charge of attempted practicing of medicine without a license.

Robert O. Young, 43, pleaded guilty to the class A misdemeanor Thursday in a plea bargain with Utah County prosecutors. He was originally charged with two third-degree felonies. In exchange for the guilty plea on one reduced charge, prosecutors dismissed the other charge.Under the agreement, the misdemeanor charge will be dismissed if Young has no other violations in the next 18 months.

Young, owner of InnerLight Inc., a vitamin and herb multilevel marketing company, allegedly took blood samples from two women, used the samples to diagnose illnesses and then prescribed as treatment a product that he sells. Utah Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing officials say Young is not a licensed physician but does have a doctorate degree from an Alabama-based school.

Young said he's never claimed to be a medical doctor and the two women knew he wasn't a doctor. He said the women entrapped him by asking to be part of his research on pleomorphism, a science that claims organisms have the ability to change shape.

He said his research proves degenerative illnesses are caused by micro-organisms and that disease comes from within and not from outside the body. Young said he looked at the women's blood and simply gave them some nutritional advice.