Guilty: Mission Viejo Attorney Convicted of Bribery

A lawyer from Mission Viejo awaits sentencing of up to 35 years in prison after a jury convicted him Tuesday of four crimes, according to the OC Weekly.

Attorney Lawrence Anthony Witsoe was found guilty of conspiring with Drug Enforcement Administration Agent Aaron Scott Vigil to get Arizona businessman Wayne Gillis off the hook on charges of head-butting a car rental employee at John Wayne Airport.

Witsoe told Gillis to give Vigil $2,500. In return, Vigil called the Orange County District Attorney's office, telling them Gillis was a drug informant and asking them to drop the charges. They did.

Witsoe also told Gillis not to tell anyone else about the bribery, lest they find themselves in "deep yogurt," according to the Weekly. Witsoe didn't know he was being recorded at the time, though.

Witsoe told the court he instructed Gillis to keep quiet about the transaction because Gillis was his client, and he commonly advises clients not to speak about the details of their defense.

Vigil was convicted of one crime, the Weekly wrote. Both Vigil and Witsoe are scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 9.

Read more about the charges and the trial here.