NEWTON ? A pharmacist who pleaded guilty to fraudulently drawing blood from 16 women was sentenced Friday to two years of probation.

Corey Penner, 29, was sentenced to six months in jail on each of 16 counts of misdemeanor battery, said Janet Daily, the victims’ witness coordinator for the Harvey County Attorney’s Office.

Four of the six-month sentences will run consecutively and the other 12 concurrently. But Penner was granted probation and will not serve any jail time if he completes probation successfully, Daily said.

Penner pleaded guilty last month to 16 counts of misdemeanor battery. Under a plea agreement, 15 of 31 original charges were dismissed.

He has yet to explain why he collected the blood and what he did with it.

Penner also must fulfill the recommendations of a confidential psychological evaluation, Daily said.

Harvey County Atty. Matt Treaster previously said he would recommend Penner serve two years of probation because of the plea agreement and Penner’s previously clean criminal record.

Penner said he drew blood, using packaged syringes, from about 55 people over the past several years, Treaster said. Penner claimed to be drawing the blood for a medical study, but no such study existed.

Authorities pursued charges involving only more recent incidents.

The victims willingly gave the blood and some received up to $20 for it.