PIKEVILLE, Ky. — The federal case against a Pike County man accused of health care fraud and wire fraud could be nearly a year old, or even older, before it goes to trial.

Eugene Sisco III, 35, was indicted last November. He is accused of forcing Medicaid patients at his drug treatment centers to pay cash for services, even though their treatment was covered by Medicaid.

He was scheduled to go on trial Sept. 7, but his attorney, Steve Owens, asked for a delay, after his paralegal tested positive for COVID. Owens says the paralegal is crucial to his preparation for trial, and Owens himself has had to go into quarantine while he awaits his own test results.

Judge Robert Wier has granted that request and has asked the attorneys to provide dates between Oct. 4 and Dec. 31 when they would be available for trial.