Attorney Who Stole $346K to Set Sons Up in Law Practice Gets 1 Year in Jail
After pleading guilty to stealing over $346,000 in client trust funds, a Utah lawyer argued that he needed to keep working in order to pay restitution.
But a Summit County judge sentenced 66-year-old Gary William Nielsen on Monday to a year in jail just the same, followed by six years of probation. And he must also pay restitution, reports the Park Record.
The Park City practitioner pleaded guilty in March to second-degree felony theft. He says he used some of the money he stole to help establish a law firm for his sons, according to the newspaper.
Nielsen’s lawyer, Gail Laser, noted that he has no prior criminal record. “This is a single act of very bad judgment for which he is regretful and wants to make full restitution,” she tells the newspaper.
