Bay area defense attorney sentenced to 2 years for money laundering
SAN JOSE, Calif. – A Bay Area criminal defense attorney was sentenced Wednesday to two years in prison on money laundering charges stemming from a probe by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Rapid Enforcement Allied Computer Team (REACT) Task Force.
Jamie Harmon, aka Jamie Harley, 57, of Morgan Hill, was convicted in 2010 of five counts of laundering monetary instruments following a three-week trial. During the trial, evidence showed Harmon accepted two checks made payable to Silicon Valley Resale (“SVR”), a San Jose company that sold used computer equipment previously owned and operated by her former client, Christian Pantages, and another individual. Pantages testified he told Harmon when they first met that SVR was in the business of selling stolen computer hardware and that the two checks Harmon accepted were proceeds from the sale of stolen goods. The jury convicted Harmon of laundering the two checks in an effort to conceal or disguise the nature of those funds.
The two-year prison sentence was handed down by U.S. District Court Judge Lucy H. Koh, who also sentenced Harmon to a three-year period of supervised release and 200 hours of community service.
Former U.S. District Court Judge James Ware presided over the trial in which a jury found Harmon guilty of five counts of laundering monetary instruments. Judge Ware declared a mistrial on the count charging Harmon with conspiracy to commit money laundering after the jury was unable to reach a verdict. Following extensive post-trial litigation, the defendant was sentenced Wednesday. The defendant will begin serving her term June 30, 2015.
“As this case makes clear, no one is above the law, least of all those who are sworn to uphold it,” said Tatum King, acting special agent in charge for HSI San Francisco. “Given her prior roles as a prosecutor and defense attorney, this defendant was well acquainted with the law. Unfortunately, she chose not to use her legal expertise for the greater good. Unquestionably, this sentence should deter others who might be tempted to take the same path.”
Pantages pleaded guilty March 9, 2010, to charges of conspiracy to buy stolen goods constituting an interstate shipment and conspiracy to commit money laundering. He will be sentenced Feb. 18.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Susan Knight and Richard Cheng are prosecuting the case, aided by Tracey Andersen. HSI and the REACT Task Force received assistance with the investigation from the Mountain View and Fremont police departments.
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