The Summer 2020 bar discipline summaries from the North Carolina Bar reflect a number of cases that involve sex or drugs.
Sex
Bradley R. Lamb, formerly of Pittsboro, was disbarred by the DHC. He was convicted in Florida of the criminal offenses of promoting the sexual performance of a child by transmitting child pornography over the internet, engaging in sexual acts over the internet with reason to believe he was being viewed by a minor, and solicitation of a person believed to be a child over the internet. An order of interim suspension of his law license was entered in November 2007 and remained in effect until the order of disbarment was entered after his release from prison.
David B. Hefferon of Charlotte provided legal services to a client who was homeless, vulnerable, and at risk of losing custody of her child. Hefferon paid for hotel rooms before the client’s court dates and, on at least one occasion, visited her in the hotel room bringing alcohol for them to share. Hefferon admitted that he kissed the client and touched her breast. The DHC suspended Hefferon’s license for one year. The suspension is stayed for two years upon compliance with conditions designed to protect the public and ensure adequate boundaries with female clients.
Drugs
Parker Russell Himes of Chicago, Illinois, formerly of Charlotte, pled guilty to numerous drug felony offenses of obtaining or attempting to obtain controlled substances by fraud. He also provided the State Bar a letter bearing a forged signature. He surrendered his license to the DHC and was disbarred.
Joseph Lee Levinson of Benson pled guilty to the felony offense of conspiracy to obtain money in the custody of a bank by false pretenses by, among other devices, misrepresenting to lenders that his client was purchasing houses as rental property when his client was actually purchasing them as marijuana grow houses for a large-scale drug trafficking operation. In January 2016, the chair of the DHC entered an order of interim suspension of his law license. In February 2020, Levinson surrendered his license and was disbarred by the DHC.
Brandon Graham of Gaston County possessed heroin, methamphetamine, and drug paraphernalia and made a misleading statement to police during a traffic stop. The chair of the DHC entered an order suspending his license on an interim basis. The DHC ultimately suspended his license for five years. After serving one year of active suspension, Graham may apply for a stay of the balance upon showing compliance with numerous conditions. He received credit toward the period of active suspension for the time his license was subject to interim suspension.
Ada L. Mason of Newton Grove committed drug offenses. Her law license was suspended by the Wayne County Superior Court in 2013. She successfully completed probation and the charges were dismissed. In March 2020, the court rescinded the order suspending her license subject to resolution of a disciplinary action in the DHC. The DHC suspended her license for three years. The suspension is stayed for five years upon her compliance with numerous conditions.
(Mike Frisch)