LAS VEGAS (KLAS) – The state’s highest courtroom completely revoked a Las Vegas legal professional’s license, permitting the person to keep away from serving jail time after police mentioned he sexually harassed workers and purchasers at his legislation agency, the 8 Information Now Investigators have discovered.
Douglas Crawford, 69, already had a felony historical past and a checkered legislation profession.
In his most up-to-date case, Crawford admitted to at the very least three violations as an legal professional, together with sexual relations with a shopper, in keeping with an order of disbarment signed by all seven Nevada State Supreme Court docket justices, dated Jan. 13 and obtained first by the 8 Information Now Investigators.
Las Vegas legal professional arrested on lewdness costs
Crawford beforehand confronted jail time after a grand jury indicted him for 5 counts of gross misdemeanor open and gross lewdness. The Clark County District Lawyer’s workplace agreed to dismiss the felony case because of Crawford’s disbarment. The case was dismissed with prejudice, which means, the case can’t be reopened.
“Mr. Crawford was only charged with gross misdemeanors,” District Lawyer Steve Wolfson informed the 8 Information Now Investigators. “The most he would receive is county jail time. Our ultimate goal was to get him disbarred.”
‘Prolific’ sexual harassment incidents at legislation workplace, prosecutor says
Crawford was initially suspended from practising legislation on July 1, 2022.
Wolfson mentioned the entire victims have been on board with the settlement.
Along with sexual relations with a shopper, Crawford admitted to a felony act that displays adversely on the health of a lawyer, and a violation or tried violation of the Guidelines of Skilled Conduct.
“Crawford concedes that the material facts in the petition for disbarment by consent are true and admits that he could not successfully defend against a disciplinary complaint,” the order states.
A number of former workers of Crawford’s informed Las Vegas Metro police Crawford confirmed them movies and pictures of him having sexual relations with girls, that he would contact them in a sexual method with out their consent, and that he made quite a few offensive feedback of a suggestive and sexual nature, in keeping with an arrest report obtained by the 8 Information Now Investigators.
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The report additionally said the ladies informed police Crawford paid his employee-victims a considerably greater wage and would bathe them with presents which they believed was an try and hold them quiet.
Staff additionally informed police they witnessed Crawford having intercourse with purchasers he was representing on workplace surveillance cameras. One worker mentioned she believed Crawford focused youthful females who have been in search of illustration for divorce or youngster custody instances, and he would typically communicate inappropriately with these purchasers.
Police obtained at the very least two movies of Crawford having intercourse with purchasers, in keeping with the arrest report. Detectives additionally performed an undercover operation by which a feminine detective posed as a shopper who was fascinated about a divorce session. Crawford made sexual advances towards the lady, in keeping with police.
“It was so prolific in fact that Metro sent in an undercover officer – a vice detective, and within 30 minutes of that officer, who was pretending to have a divorce case and giving him facts of that, he was stroking her back and attempting to kiss her,” Chief Deputy District Lawyer Jacob Villani mentioned throughout a Could 2022 courtroom look.
The allegations within the felony case spanned from June 2020 to March 2022. In a Could 26, 2022 press launch, Las Vegas Metro police introduced there might be extra victims.
The 8 Information Now Investigators reached out to Joshua Tomsheck, Crawford’s legal professional. They declined to remark.
Crawford was charged with 4 counts of felony theft in 2007. That case was additionally dismissed after Crawford paid restitution to purchasers he stole from, in keeping with courtroom data. The order of dismissal referred to a playing drawback.
Crawford was quickly suspended from practising legislation in 2007, then suspended for 5 years in 2009, and reinstated in 2015.
“The petition and supporting documentation demonstrate that Crawford appears to have misappropriated over $100,000 in client funds and has commingled personal funds with client and lienholder funds, and his trust account is accordingly out of balance,” a Could 1, 2007 order said. “Additionally, he has attempted to prevent clients from complaining to the state bar, and has failed to respond to bar counsel’s repeated inquiries.”
A number of Nevada State Bar paperwork courting again to 2007 said Crawford posed a menace to the general public.
To succeed in investigative reporter Vanessa Murphy, e mail vmurphy@8newsnow.com.
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