Post by sandi66 on Oct 4, 2009 12:04:43 GMT -5
Lawyer enters not guilty plea
October 3, 2009
By CARRI GEER THEVENOT
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
A Nevada lawyer who now lives in Colorado appeared before a Las Vegas judge Friday and pleaded not guilty to criminal charges that stem from a $60 million securities fraud scheme.
Brian Dvorak, 53, is one of six people accused of defrauding investors by conspiring to issue and sell unregistered shares of stock in a company called CMKM Diamonds. Federal prosecutors estimate that the case has between 40,000 and 60,000 victims.
Dvorak was indicted in May with John M. Edwards, Urban Casavant, Helen Bagley, Ginger Gutierrez and James Kinney. The indictment was unsealed last month after five of the defendants, including Dvorak, were arrested.
Edwards was arrested in England, and authorities are in the process of extraditing him. Dvorak was arrested at his home in Boulder, Colo. Only Casavant remains at large.
A Colorado judge previously released Dvorak on his own recognizance. On Friday, U.S Magistrate Judge Peggy Leen ruled that Dvorak may remain free pending trial, which has been scheduled for Nov. 16.
Bagley, Gutierrez and Kinney also were released after their arrests.
Leen appointed attorney John Wesley Hall to represent Dvorak after the defendant said he could not afford to retain an attorney. Hall, Dvorak's former brother-in-law, practices in Arkansas but is licensed in Nevada. He has been representing Dvorak in a related lawsuit filed last year by the SEC.
Hall said he does not think the complex criminal case will be ready for trial any time soon.
"I would expect it will be a year before it's tried," he said.
Dvorak has been licensed to practice law in Nevada since 1992. He previously practiced in Las Vegas but quit practicing law about two years ago and moved to Colorado, where he teaches martial arts. He declined to comment after his court appearance Friday.
Contact reporter Carri Geer Thevenot at cgeer@reviewjournal.com or 702-384-8710.
www.lvrj.com/news/lawyer-enters-not-guilty-plea-63393137.html
ty mccurdydon
October 3, 2009
By CARRI GEER THEVENOT
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
A Nevada lawyer who now lives in Colorado appeared before a Las Vegas judge Friday and pleaded not guilty to criminal charges that stem from a $60 million securities fraud scheme.
Brian Dvorak, 53, is one of six people accused of defrauding investors by conspiring to issue and sell unregistered shares of stock in a company called CMKM Diamonds. Federal prosecutors estimate that the case has between 40,000 and 60,000 victims.
Dvorak was indicted in May with John M. Edwards, Urban Casavant, Helen Bagley, Ginger Gutierrez and James Kinney. The indictment was unsealed last month after five of the defendants, including Dvorak, were arrested.
Edwards was arrested in England, and authorities are in the process of extraditing him. Dvorak was arrested at his home in Boulder, Colo. Only Casavant remains at large.
A Colorado judge previously released Dvorak on his own recognizance. On Friday, U.S Magistrate Judge Peggy Leen ruled that Dvorak may remain free pending trial, which has been scheduled for Nov. 16.
Bagley, Gutierrez and Kinney also were released after their arrests.
Leen appointed attorney John Wesley Hall to represent Dvorak after the defendant said he could not afford to retain an attorney. Hall, Dvorak's former brother-in-law, practices in Arkansas but is licensed in Nevada. He has been representing Dvorak in a related lawsuit filed last year by the SEC.
Hall said he does not think the complex criminal case will be ready for trial any time soon.
"I would expect it will be a year before it's tried," he said.
Dvorak has been licensed to practice law in Nevada since 1992. He previously practiced in Las Vegas but quit practicing law about two years ago and moved to Colorado, where he teaches martial arts. He declined to comment after his court appearance Friday.
Contact reporter Carri Geer Thevenot at cgeer@reviewjournal.com or 702-384-8710.
www.lvrj.com/news/lawyer-enters-not-guilty-plea-63393137.html
ty mccurdydon