Prison time for counseling service owner may not bode well for attorney in related case
The former owner of a Las Vegas counseling service that provided phony certificates of completion to individuals required to take court-ordered programs was sentenced Wednesday to two to five years behind bars.
The prison term for Steven Brox, 50—who made a tearful apology to no avail and was taken immediately into custody—may not bode well for a lawyer awaiting sentencing in a similar case, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Attorney Robert Draskovich, who represents Brox, had argued for probation and said he will appeal the sentence.
But prosecutor Marc DiGiacomo persuaded Judge Jessie Walsh to impose prison time.
“This is the type of crime that our justice system has to make a statement about,” said the chief deputy Clark County district attorney.
Still awaiting sentencing in a similar case is temporarily suspended Nevada attorney Brian Bloomfield. He was accused in court by DiGiacomo last week of lying under oath during an attorney disciplinary proceeding over his guilty plea to forgery concerning certificates of completion filed in court on behalf of clients.
Walsh put off Bloomfield’s sentencing until March, while more investigation of what happened at the hearing in the ongoing disciplinary matter is completed, the newspaper reports.
A second lawyer accused of participating in the courthouse scheme was indicted in December.
Related coverage:
ABAJournal.com: “Lawyer who faked records of court-ordered counseling should get 5-year suspension, panel recommends”
