Stephen Jones, a former attorney from Orlando, was sentenced to 42 months in prison Monday, followed by 10 years of probation, for Scheme to Defraud over $50,000, a first-degree felony, for misappropriating funds that were due to a former client.

One of the issues involved a Lee County case where court documents said the 42-year-old Jones stole $100,000 in insurance proceeds from the insurance settlement of a Vietnam veteran, who was hit by a bicycle in Lehigh Acres in 2019.

The State Attorney’s Office Economic Crimes Unit launched an investigation after being contacted by the Florida Bar, who discovered financial inconsistencies involving client’s money, while reviewing the defendant’s trust account in an unrelated case in Orange County.

Jones was also ordered to pay $100,000 in restitution, with $36,000 going to the victim and his wife. $64,000 in restitution was ordered to the Florida Bar Clients’ Security Fund, which previously reimbursed the victim that amount based upon their determination in a separate action that the defendant misappropriated those monies placed in the lawyer’s trust.

State Attorney's Office investigators conducted the investigation which led to the charges in Fort Myers as well as charges for Third Degree Theft in Orange County, involving the theft of $11,000 in insurance proceeds.

As a result of the defendant’s criminal actions, he was permanently disbarred by the Florida Supreme Court in 2021.

The Florida Bar is the organization of all lawyers licensed by the Supreme Court of Florida to practice law in the state. The Florida Bar’s core functions are to: regulate the practice of law in Florida; ensure the highest standards of legal professionalism in Florida; and protect the public by prosecuting unethical attorneys and preventing the unlicensed practice of law.

WGCU is your trusted source for news and information in Southwest Florida. We are a nonprofit public service, and your support is more critical than ever. Keep public media strong and donate now. Thank you.