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sb335
positively disintegrating

Registered: 08/16/10
Posts: 507
Loc: Twin Earth
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[CA- SoCal] Lawyer, police officer face bribery charges (DEA related)
#14570043 - 06/06/11 03:43 PM (12 years, 7 months ago) |
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OCRegister Article, June 6, 2011
SANTA ANA – A criminal defense attorney from Mission Viejo surrendered to the FBI on Monday after he and a Rialto police officer were named in a federal grand jury indictment alleging a bribery scheme.
Lawrence Anthony Witsoe, 67, and officer Aaron Scott Vigil, 41, of Highland, were taken into custody by special agents on federal bribery charges and are expected to be arraigned Monday afternoon in U.S. District Court in Santa Ana. Article Tab : Lawrence Anthony Witsoe, 67, and officer Aaron Scott Vigil, 41, of Highland, were taken into custody by special agents on federal bribery charges and are expected to be arraigned Monday afternoon in U.S. District Court in Santa Ana. The pair was named in a three-count federal grand jury indictment unsealed Monday Lawrence Anthony Witsoe, 67, and officer Aaron Scott Vigil, 41, of Highland, were taken into custody by special agents on federal bribery charges and are expected to be arraigned Monday afternoon in U.S. District Court in Santa Ana. The pair was named in a three-count federal grand jury indictment unsealed Monday More from Crime Courts Safety
The pair were named in a three-count federal grand jury indictment unsealed Monday.
The document alleges that Vigil, who was on a task force with the Drug Enforcement Administration, agreed to accept a $2,500 bribe in exchange for falsely telling the Orange County District Attorney's Office that Witsoe's client was a DEA informant, the U.S. Attorney's Office said in the news release.
The indictment alleges that the bribery scheme began in fall 2009, when Witsoe told his client, who was facing assault charges in Orange County Superior Court, that Witsoe might be able to get the case dismissed for a $2,500 payment beyond his standard attorney fee.
Witsoe told his client – who is not named in the indictment – that he could have a DEA agent call the District Attorney's Office seeking dismissal or favorable disposition of the assault case by lying about work the informant had done for the DEA, the indictment says. Vigil then is alleged to have contacted the district attorney on several occasions and said that Witsoe's client had provided reliable information on drug traffickers and that his cooperation led to the DEA seizing $110,000 in drug money, according to the news release.
When the district attorney dismissed the case, the indictment alleges, Witsoe told his client to wire $2,500 to his trust account and Witsoe then wrote a check to the ex-wife of a friend of Vigil's.
The document charges both men with two counts – conspiracy and soliciting and accepting a bribe by a public official. Witsoe additionally is charged with bribery of a public official.
If convicted, Witsoe faces a maximum sentence of 35 years in federal prison and Vigil faces a maximum of 20 years.
The State Bar of California website shows Witsoe as an active member who was licensed to practice law in 1974. His office is in Tustin.
Contact the writer: 714-834-3773 or vjolly@ocregister.com
-------------------- لا إله إلا الله محمد رسول الله
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ifoundwaldo


Registered: 09/28/10
Posts: 8,389
Loc: Denver, CO
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Re: [CA- SoCal] Lawyer, police officer face bribery charges (DEA related) [Re: sb335]
#14570076 - 06/06/11 03:49 PM (12 years, 7 months ago) |
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The system keeps the system in check.
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Doc_T
Random Dude




Registered: 03/06/09
Posts: 42,395
Loc: Colorado
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Re: [CA- SoCal] Lawyer, police officer face bribery charges (DEA related) [Re: ifoundwaldo] 1
#14570088 - 06/06/11 03:52 PM (12 years, 7 months ago) |
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Off topic but interesting.
-------------------- You make it all possible. Doesn't it feel good?
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2jew4u
Stranger
Registered: 04/07/11
Posts: 1,014
Last seen: 12 years, 5 months
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Re: [CA- SoCal] Lawyer, police officer face bribery charges (DEA related) [Re: Doc_T]
#14570136 - 06/06/11 04:01 PM (12 years, 7 months ago) |
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So the original defendant would prolly got- probation maybe a year in jail for the assault- WOW
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Raw
Muslim



Registered: 03/23/10
Posts: 1,419
Loc: USA West Coast
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Re: [CA- SoCal] Lawyer, police officer face bribery charges (DEA related) [Re: 2jew4u]
#14570916 - 06/06/11 06:53 PM (12 years, 7 months ago) |
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The original defendant can now get his case thrown out if he likes. He isn't named at all. He may have been smart enough to expose the scheme. The courts just want your money and an excuse to bilk the taxpayer. It isn't going to last for long. I see work camps and legalization and taxation of soft drugs. I see the cops focusing on only 4 drug issues and only seizing assets of distributors of prescription drugs, coke, heron, and meth within the next 7-20 years. It comes down to finances.
Legalization of soft drugs is an economic inevitability. When it is like tobacco or alcohol and taxed to death then we will be in a non-orweillian scenario.
Quote:
2jew4u said: So the original defendant would prolly got- probation maybe a year in jail for the assault- WOW
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ReposadoXochipilli
Here, there, inbetween



Registered: 08/30/05
Posts: 7,501
Loc: Sand and sunshine
Last seen: 20 days, 9 hours
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Re: [CA- SoCal] Lawyer, police officer face bribery charges (DEA related) [Re: Raw]
#14574217 - 06/07/11 12:25 PM (12 years, 7 months ago) |
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all for 2,500... smells fishy to me
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2jew4u
Stranger
Registered: 04/07/11
Posts: 1,014
Last seen: 12 years, 5 months
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Re: [CA- SoCal] Lawyer, police officer face bribery charges (DEA related) [Re: ReposadoXochipilli]
#14574415 - 06/07/11 01:14 PM (12 years, 7 months ago) |
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Yea fuck Bribery isnt what it used to be, heard people getting busted for lame payoffs- really any thing under 10g wouldnt even be worth the risk- considering he prolly makes over 2,500 a paycheck-
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