Longtime Hamilton attorney indicted on felony criminal charges
Jun. 1—A longtime Hamilton attorney who spent 12 years as a Butler County public defender is facing criminal theft charges, according to the county prosecutor and court records.
Dennis Lee Adams, 52, of Fairfield Twp., was indicted Wednesday by a Butler County grand jury for grand theft, theft by deception and receiving stolen property, all fourth-degree felonies.
The alleged crimes occurred between June 20, 2017, and Oct. 13, 2020, involving "value of property or services stolen (in the amount of) $7,500 or more and less than $150,000," according to the indictment.
Adams' license to practice law is currently under default suspension after he failed to respond a four-part formal disciplinary complaint filed by clients against him last September. The matter is now before the Board of Professional Conduct for recommendation on disbarment, which requires action by the Ohio Supreme Court.
Butler County Prosecutor Michael Gmoser said the indictment involves Adams' private civil practice and not his work on criminal cases. Adams worked for the Butler County Public Defender office from May 2011 to January 2023, when he resigned, according to a spokeswoman.
Adams was admitted to the bar to practice law in Ohio in 1997, according to Ohio Supreme Court records.
Prosecutors say Adams used client money received in a court settlement for personal use.
"Lawyers have what are called client trust accounts, and when they are representing in civil cases in which money comes to clients, it passes through the hands of an attorney representing the client going into the trust account for distribution," Gmoser said.
Adams dipped into a trust account for his personal use, he said.
"The attorney has a fiduciary responsibility to maintain that client trust account and not make any improper disbursement," Gmoser said.
Adams did not return messages left at offices listed for him and to an email listed for him in Ohio Supreme Court disciplinary documents.
A summons was issued for Adams, and Gmoser said he will have a chance to turn himself into authorities. It is a non-violent offense and he is a local citizen, he said.
The case was investigated in-house at the prosecutor's office. Gmoser said there will be no need for a special prosecutor.
"I don't run off and get special prosecutors unless there is really a serious issue of a conflict," Gmoser said. "I know Dennis Adams professionally, but that doesn't mean I can't prosecute him. I know a lot of people, if I couldn't prosecute all the people I know, I might run out of cases."
Gmoser would not comment on if the the criminal charges stemmed from the disciplinary action at the supreme court, but said the investigations were likely "contemporaneously conducted."
According to supreme court documents, the disciplinary counsel complaints allege Adams neglected a client's personal injury matter and misappropriated $20,231.74 from that client's personal injury settlement; misappropriated $4,849.93 from a second client's personal injury settlement; failed to participate in extensive civil litigation brought on by failure to pay a subrogation lien on behalf of a client; failed to pay a $680.76 outstanding judgment on behalf of a client of which he was aware and had negotiated with the opposing party; and engaged in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit or misrepresentation; and (g) failed to cooperate in the disciplinary investigation."
The criminal case is assigned to Butler County Common Pleas Judge Greg Stephens. On Thursday afternoon, an arraignment date had not been set.
