Attorney Pleads to Dissuading a Witness

Attorney Pleads to
Dissuading a Witness

July 14, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts: Joe Scott, Director of Communications
Sandi Gibbons, Public Information Officer
Jane Robison, News Secretary
Shiara Dávila, Assistant PIO
(213) 974-3525

LOS ANGELES – A Sherman Oaks attorney indicted in January for allegedly dissuading a witness pleaded no contest today, the District Attorney’s Office announced.

Deputy District Attorney Paul Nuñez of the Justice System Integrity Division said Sean Erenstoft, 42, pleaded to one felony count of attempting to dissuade a witness.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge David Wesley said the defendant will be sentenced on Sept. 15.

As a consequence of this plea, the State Bar of California will immediately disbar Erenstoft.

The defendant is expected to be sentenced to three years of formal probation and will be ordered to do 100 hours of community service. Erenstoft additionally will be expected to pay $9,074.30 in restitution to the victim.

While representing a defendant in a stalking case, Erenstoft filed a civil case against the victim in order to dissuade her from testifying against his client at a preliminary hearing. Erenstoft later offered to drop the civil case in exchange for favorable testimony at his client’s sentencing, according to the prosecutor.

The indictment, returned Jan. 6, was unsealed on Jan. 26.

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