Lawyer Faces Up To 30 Years for Coaching Witness to Lie

A Los Angeles area (San Fernando Valley) lawyer, Alfred Nash Villalobos, had a client who was contacted by investigators concerning a suspected immigration visa fraud.  Villalobos in turn contacted the attorneny representing the target of the investigation.  Villalobos offered to coach his client to lie to investigators in order to thrwart a Grand Jury investigation.  The second attorney then contacted the FBI, who set up a sting, in which Villalobos accepted the first agreed cash payment.  He was promptly arrested. After a two week trial, a jury convicted him on August 31, 2011.  His license is suspended by the State Bar pending the sentencing and the exhaustion of any appeals.  He faces disbarment.  USA v. Villalobos, 2:09-cr-00824-GHK.