(ONN) – A doctor in Northern Ohio who has been a critic of the crackdown on opioid pills for chronic pain patients is now charged with illegally prescribing hundreds of thousands of pain pills.

Federal prosecutors announced the charges against Dr. William Bauer, of Port Clinton.

They say that, since 2007, Bauer has prescribed thousands of doses of powerful painkillers without a legitimate medical purpose.

Bauer has portrayed himself as an advocate for patients who need legitimate pain treatment.

He told the Sandusky Register in March that he has been fighting the state medical board and regulators because they don’t understand that some patients rely on the large doses of painkillers.