Crimes And Misdemeanors

From this month’s Florida Bar discipline summaries

Michael Gary Stepakoff, 36181 E. Lake Rd #270, Palm Harbor, disciplinary revocation with leave to seek readmission after five years effective immediately following a February 1 court order. (Admitted to practice: 1990) Stepakoff plead guilty to a misdemeanor offense for participating in the demonstration and entry into the U.S. Capitol Building on January 6, 2021. On January 20, 2023, he was sentenced to probation for a term of 12 months and ordered to pay a fines and restitution. (Case No. SC23-1688)

Tampa Bay Times reported

A federal judge in Washington, D.C., sentenced a Palm Harbor messianic rabbi Thursday to two months of home confinement plus a year of probation for strolling into the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6, 2021, riot.

Michael Stepakoff, was also ordered to pay a $742 fine to reimburse the government for the cost to monitor him throughout the past year.

“Entering the Capitol was a terrible mistake on my part,” Stepakoff said in court. “I deeply regret it. I wish I could take it back, but I can’t. It was not done in defiance or as an a act of civil disobedience, but because I failed to properly appreciate the situation.”

Dennis Joseph Szafran, P.O. Box 340561, Tampa, disciplinary revocation with leave to seek readmission after five years effective 30 days following a February 22 court order. (Admitted to practice: 2015) The court granted Szafran’s uncontested petition for disciplinary revocation with leave to seek readmission after five years. On or about October 16, 2023, Szafran abruptly closed his law firm, DJS Law Group. At the time of closure, Szafran had approximately 800 clients. The way he closed his firm resulted in him abandoning his practice and his clients. Szafran failed to take reasonable steps to communicate with his clients or take proper steps to ensure their interests were protected. After the closure of his firm and prior to filing the petition for disciplinary revocation, Szafran had over 60 pending disciplinary matters involving various allegations, including failure to communicate with clients, excessive fees, and failure to represent clients diligently and competently. (Case No. SC24-0124)

Jason Dale Volkman, 2320 S.W. 140th Ave., Ocala, permanent disciplinary revocation effective immediately following a February 8 court order. (Admitted to practice: 2000) Volkman pled nolo contendere to one count of Sexual Battery on a Person 12-18 Years by a Person in Familial Custodial Authority, a first-degree felony, 20 counts of Promoting a Sexual Performance by a Child, second-degree felonies, 20 counts of Possession of Child Pornography (10 or more Images), second-degree felonies, one count of Delivery of Opiates, a second-degree felony, two counts of Video Voyeurism, third-degree felonies, and one count of Contributing to the Delinquency or Dependency of a Minor, a first-degree misdemeanor. The court sentenced Volkman to 30 years in the Florida Department of Corrections followed by five years of sex offender probation in Count 1, 15 years in the Florida Department of Corrections in Counts 2-42, 5 years in the Florida Department of Corrections in Counts 43-44, and 364 days in the Marion County Jail in Count 45. The sentences are to run concurrently.  Petitioner was credited with 496 days of time served. He was further designated a Sexual Predator pursuant to Florida Statute 775.21. The court ordered that he shall have no victim contact, submit a DNA sample, pay a $100 fine, mandatory court costs, and $150 to the Office of the State Attorney for the cost of the prosecution. (Case No. SC23-1679)

(Mike Frisch)