SCRANTON, Pa. — Lackawanna County Judge James Gibbons sentenced former Scranton attorney Eugene Daniel Lucas to three to 23 months in jail, followed by one year of probation for stealing close to $300,000. He pleaded guilty in February to four counts of theft.
Lucas, who was admitted to the bar in 1981, was issued a suspension by the Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania in May 2022. It remained in place as of Wednesday, according to the case docket.
Original story:
An attorney from Scranton was charged with several counts of theft by deception.
Officials say Eugene Daniel Lucas convinced five victims to loan him money with the promise he would fully repay them with interest.
He failed to do so and owes his victims close to $300,000.
Prosecutors say Eugene Daniel Lucas, who goes by his middle name of Dan, borrowed that money from his clients' inheritances and life savings, promising them they'd make money on the deal after receiving interest.
But five families never saw that return on investment.
The charges shed light on a raid of attorney Dan Lucas's Scranton office earlier this year. Newswatch 16 was there as detectives executed a search warrant on the place along North Washington Avenue in February.
Lucas's picture is on the building advertising his services, working on estates and wills. Prosecutors say it was through that work that he met his alleged victims.
Lucas was arraigned on several charges of theft by deception. According to court papers, he befriended clients before asking them for loans he promised to pay back with 10 percent interest.
Some clients received only payments of interest but nothing towards the principal. One client never received any payments at all for ten years and says Lucas owes him more than $120,000.
Prosecutors say Lucas tricked his clients into giving him close to $400,000, and he's only paid back a little more than a quarter of it.
Paul Walker, Lucas's attorney, says he crossed some lines but not criminal ones.
"That may be an ethical consideration; it's not a criminal consideration," Walker said. "I practice criminal law. It's not a criminal consideration. The ethics part, I don't render an opinion because I'm not an ethics expert. I personally wouldn't do it from an ethics standpoint, but not in terms of a criminal standpoint."
Lucas could lose his license to practice law if a disciplinary board decides the allegations violate ethical rules.
Prosecutors are keeping their criminal investigation open.
In a statement, Lackawanna County District Attorney Mark Powell said:
"It is extremely troubling to see any lawyer cross ethical and legal boundaries and take advantage of our seniors. If you believe you were deceived by Attorney Lucas, I urge you to contact Detective Lisa Bauer in my office as soon as possible."
Court papers indicate Lucas took money from clients as recently as February after he learned he was under investigation. He allegedly planned to use that money to pay off debts with his other clients.
Lucas was released on bail after his arraignment. He's due back in court next month.
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