Attorney and clerk who steered referrals sentenced
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A former federal courtroom clerk and a legal protection law firm obtained prison terms Monday for a lengthy-working scheme in which the clerk steered defendants to the lawyer in exchange for hard cash payments.
The clerk, Dionisio Figueroa, was sentenced to two years in federal jail and the lawyer, Telesforo Del Valle Jr., acquired a single 12 months and a day in different proceedings at which U.S. District Judge Mae D’Agostino mentioned they had abused their positions out of greed.
U.S. Lawyer Damian Williams explained the two adult males “betrayed prison defendants, the public, and people who count on the court to stay impartial.”
“The public depends on attorneys and court docket staff members to keep and validate its faith in our criminal justice program,” Williams said in a assertion. “By their actions, Del Valle and Figueroa undermined the reasonable administration of justice and the function of the quite a few good men and women in the courthouse who serve the prison justice system with honesty and integrity. Let these sentences serve as a warning to all those who search for to pervert justice for particular acquire.”
Figueroa would slip Del Valle’s information to defendants
Figueroa worked in the justice of the peace clerk’s office at the federal courthouse in Manhattan and amongst 2011 and 2022 would quietly slip Del Valle’s speak to information to defendants or their family members. The lawyer would routinely depart envelopes of cash — totaling an estimated $40,000 more than 10 decades — at his legislation office for Figueroa’s lover to choose up.
In several cases, defendants could have had totally free general public defenders but opted to pay out to keep Del Valle based on Figueroa’s recommendation. The choose pointed out the irony of Figueroa sitting down in court concerning his two remarkably-experienced community defenders.
D’Agostino, a decide in the Northern District of New York in Albany, was assigned the circumstance subsequent the March 2023 indictment for the reason that Figueroa was an personnel in the Southern District. She recognized the favourable characteristics of just about every defendant but called the criminal offense “nefarious” and advised Del Valle, 66, of Leonia, New Jersey, that the “seriousness of the offense are unable to be overstated.”
She cited law firm jokes and mentioned Del Valle experienced presented fodder for all those who frequently impugn the integrity of attorneys.
In accordance to court documents, the two adult males had a robust friendship that pre-dated the bribery scheme, with Figueroa’s relatives cooking for Del Valle’s household when his wife was sick and Del Valle assisting cover charges when Figueroa’s father was buried in the Dominican Republic.
Figueroa apologized but insisted that some of the issues he was accused of in the course of the demo he did not do.
“I imagined I was helping folks but in the end I did what was incorrect,” he claimed, as he bemoaned the decline of a position he loved and how it has harm him and his loved ones.
He mentioned he under no circumstances bought extravagant autos or usually lived outside of his indicates.
But the choose reported his greed just intended he took what he could get when no a person was on the lookout, and that undermined general public have confidence in in the court docket process.
“You do not have to get abundant to be guilty of the crimes you dedicated,” she told him.
Colleagues wrote of Del Valle’s contributions
Numerous colleagues wrote on Del Valle’s behalf, describing the perform he would do for indigent defendants and how he was often fast to stand in for other attorneys if they faced wellbeing or other emergencies.
Legal defense law firm Oliver Storch, who said he regarded Del Valle a mentor, mentioned Del Valle was among the first legal professionals to supply his midtown offices to downtown colleagues adhering to the 9/11 attack on the Environment Trade Middle. Storch claimed he was damage, upset and even indignant just after finding out of Del Valle’s arrest but that his friend’s “confirmed life’s operate” and attempts to strengthen people’s lives really should be considered.
“Ted’s tumble from grace is a reminder that even the most good, committed and honorable individuals can interact in aberrant conduct and cross the line into prison perform,” Storch wrote to the choose.
Following sentencing, Del Valle reiterated what he explained to the choose, apologizing to the court docket process and his fellow lawyers for his “misdeeds” and indicating it was the most unpleasant working day in his lifestyle.
“I have in no way been a lot more contrite,” he explained as he still left the federal courthouse in White Plains.
Equally gentlemen were provided right up until May possibly 14 to report to the federal Bureau of Prisons.
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