Former Winooski attorney to admit defrauding clients of up to $550K

A former attorney whose law license was suspended earlier this year plans to admit to a federal judge that he took money from several trusts he oversaw, according to paperwork filed in U.S. District Court in Burlington.

William M. O'Brien of Winooski struck an agreement in October with federal prosecutors to plead guilty to one count of mail fraud. He is scheduled to appear Nov. 10 in U.S. District Court in Burlington to formally answer the charge.

A federal judge will determine O'Brien's sentence. He faces up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000, according to a plea agreement filed in late October. No sentence has been specified in the plea agreement, but parties can file documents outlining proposed sentences later in the process.

Court papers state that O'Brien took $250,000 to $550,000. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Waples said Tuesday the charges relate to two of O'Brien's clients, but there were about a half dozen total clients who were affected by the attorney's actions.

Read more: http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/story/news/local/2016/11/01/former-winooski-attorney-charged-fraud/93115984/