Defense Attorney Sentenced for Laundering Drug Money

A veteran criminal defense attorney will serve three years’ probation -- including a year on house arrest-- and forfeit more than $300,000 for his role in an illegal money-laundering scheme.

James Warner represented hundreds of suspected drug dealers during his 40-year career. His colleagues once honored him as "Defense Attorney of the Year."

But Warner admitted in July that he helped a client hide drug money assets by investing $100,000 cash in an off-shore investment. Court records reveal that Warner also promised to pay the drug dealer 18 percent interest on the cash.

Investigators later found more than $200,000 cash hidden in a suitcase in Warner’s law office in the Banker’s Hill neighborhood of San Diego.

Most of that money was in a vacuum-sealed bag and was linked to drug dealers, Assistant U.S. Attorney Sherri Walker Hobson told NBC 7.

Warner quickly admitted to conspiracy to launder money in the scheme. He also pleaded guilty to attempting to harass a witness.

Warner was sentenced Monday by Federal Judge Jeffrey Miller. In addition to house arrest, probation and forfeiture of funds, Warner must perform 2,000 hours of community service within three years. Judge Miller said very few defendants are ordered to complete that much community service.

One of Warner’s attorneys Chuck Sevilla told the court that Warner’s criminal actions were “illegal, criminal, wrong, stupid and immoral.” But the defense reminded the judge that Warner quickly admitted his crimes when confronted with the evidence. The defense and prosecution agreed that a prison sentence would not be appropriate in this case.

Warner apologized for breaking the law and embarrassing the legal profession.

“I’ll never forgive myself,” he told the judge and a gallery filled with family, friends and other supporters, many of whom wrote letters to Judge Miller, urging leniency.

Warner also told the court, “I never considered the unbelievably dire consequences of what I've done."

He has resigned from the State Bar Association, and Judge Miller – who called it a “tragic and shameful” case -- ordered Warner not to practice law.

Warner will be allow to leave his home only for meetings with his probation officer and other necessary appointments, including visiting his wife in the hospital.

Warner’s attorneys explained that his wife of 46 years is now on life support in a local hospital after suffering from cardiac arrest during a surgical procedure.

A tearful Warner blamed himself for his wife’s medical problems, telling the judge he had ruined his life and his family’s life.

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