A man in Oklahoma is facing charges after allegedly pretending to be an attorney so he could visit his incarcerated girlfriend at the county jail.
The incident reportedly occurred at the Oklahoma County Detention Center in Oklahoma City on October 13, when the man allegedly arrived claiming he needed to have power of attorney paperwork signed by his girlfriend, who was being held at the facility.
According to the affidavit, he went to the visitation area, introduced himself as the woman’s lawyer, and referred to her as his client. Records indicated that the woman had been booked into the detention center approximately a week earlier on an out-of-state warrant. Jail personnel let him into the attorney visitation booth, where he met with the inmate. The two reportedly completed the power of attorney documents and then began hugging and kissing, which raised the suspicions of the staff members.
After the encounter, the man left the jail, but investigators reportedly determined that he was not a licensed attorney. Jail officials said the incident occurred because a staff member failed to verify the man’s credentials, allowing him unauthorized access. Once the error was discovered, authorities obtained a warrant and arrested him at a residence in Oklahoma City.
The suspect was later arrested on a preliminary charge of false personation. When questioned, he allegedly said that he understood why he was being arrested, but believed that his conversation with the inmate was protected by attorney-client privilege.
When the man talked to a local news outlet about the situation, he said it was a misunderstanding and described himself as a law-abiding person who hoped never to deal with the criminal justice system again.
If you or someone you love is suspected of a criminal offense, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.