MORGANTOWN – Instead of repay his proverbial debt to society by going to prison, a judge wants a disbarred Monongalia attorney to find work and repay clients who's money he embezzled.
Following his guilty plea to six counts of embezzlement earlier this year, C. Patrick Carrick was sentenced Aug. 9 to six to 60 years in prison. However, Judge Russell M. Clawges suspended the sentence and placed Carrick on five years probation.
The terms of the probation, according to The Dominion Post, was to find a job, and pay $7,000 in restitution to former clients. An investigation by State Police found instead of keeping his fee and forwarding the proceeds to his clients, Carrick pocketed all money awarded to clients in workers' compensation cases he handled.
Records show Carrick, 59, embezzled nearly $40,000.
A year ago, Carrick surrendered his law license in the midst of the State Police's investigation. The state Supreme Court accepted his petition for voluntary annulment on Sept. 24.
The Court on Dec. 3, 2008, suspended Carrick's license when the first of seven clients lodged complaints with the state Bar of not receiving their funds and having difficulty communicating with him. Prior to his disbarment, Carrick had 41 ethics complaints pending with the Bar.