Crime & Safety

Union County Attorney Admits Stealing $362K From Clients

Sergio Pastor faces 7 to 11 years in prison.

A West Orange man with a Cranford-based law firm admitted stealing approximately $362,000 from half a dozen clients, acting Union County Prosecutor Grace H. Park announced in a press release on Tuesday. 

Sergio Pastor, 41, pleaded guilty in superior court Monday to two counts of second-degree theft by failure to make required disposition, four counts of third-degree theft by failure to make required disposition, and a single count of fourth-degree unauthorized practice of law.

Pastor stole the funds through a variety of methods including misappropriating assets from the estate of a deceased client and siphoning funds out of a trust account for another client’s pending real estate transaction, according to the release.

Pastor was suspended from practicing law  in August 2012 but representing clients in legal up until the time of his arrest in March 2013, the release said.

The New Jersey Supreme Court ordered Pastor disbarred in June 2013. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 7, 2014, when he is expected to face a term of 7 to 11 years in state prison.


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