Attorney “DWI Dude” sentenced for scamming drug traffickers

[Tailgate 3022]

I remember seeing several of his billboards around Austin. Wonder if he’ll survive his sentence. Last people you’d want to scam.

SHERMAN, Texas — A Texas lawyer known as the “DWI Dude” has been sentenced to more than 15 years in federal prison for falsely promising Colombian drug traffickers he'd get their charges reduced or dismissed in exchange for cash, prosecutors said.

Jamie Balagia, 65, was sentenced Monday to 188 months in federal prison. He was convicted after a two-week trial in 2019 of conspiracy to commit money laundering, obstruction of justice, violation of the Kingpin Act, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to obstruct justice.
 

https://www.kvue.com/article/news/local/texas/dwi-dude-attorney-sentenced-for-scamming-drug-traffickers/269-88db85c4-c9d7-4ee0-af55-2b26a1082561

Doh! Original thread here: 

 

Edited May 5, 2021 by Tailgate

[deadshank 24653]

Colombian Cocaine Counselor Craters Cartel Cases. 
 

Credit Crack Consumption. 

Edited May 5, 2021 by deadshank

[Onboard 2.0 9083]

1 minute ago, deadshank said:

Colombian Cocaine Counselor Craters Cartel Cases. 
 

Credit Crack Consumption. 

Crikey !!!

[DigglerontheHoof 21207]

Something tells me he won't be too popular in prison. 

[midtown 3346]

Did his clients take deductions on loan payment they didn't even make?

[F250 28802]

23 minutes ago, DigglerontheHoof said:

Something tells me he won't be too popular in prison. 

 

[52-80 19205]

35 minutes ago, DigglerontheHoof said:

Something tells me he won't be too popular in prison. 

O/U on how many months he survives?

[Beau Vine 54321]

2 hours ago, Tailgate said:

SHERMAN, Texas — A Texas lawyer known as the “DWI Dude” has been sentenced to more than 15 years in federal prison for falsely promising Colombian drug traffickers he'd get their charges reduced or dismissed in exchange for cash

I'm confused -- isn't this what lawyers do?

[achooloco 1072]

yeah, haven't read that article but that first paragraph is abysmal. great job journalists! 

3 minutes ago, Beau Vine said:

I'm confused -- isn't this what lawyers do?

 

[StruggleBus 3922]

Alternate title: Lawyer convicted for doing his job

[hayden_horn 11364]

naw, he was defrauding them, but kvue's headline and first sentence are way out of whack.

Quote

According to federal prosecutors, Balagia conspired with a private investigator in Florida and an attorney in Colombia to scam Colombian drug traffickers into paying “attorney fees” for acting as intermediaries with government officials who they said would accept bribes to dismiss criminal charges or reduce prison sentences.

There were no bribes or government officials involved.

“The evidence in this case demonstrated that Balagia had been shaking down his clients for years by claiming that he was able to purchase favorable deals from prosecutors and judges alike,” Acting U.S. Attorney Nicholas Ganjei said.

 

[Guest]

seems like a really good way to end up dead.

[F250 28802]

Dude should have had a backup plan like changing his name to Gene Tavic and working as a manager at a Cinnabon in Omaha.

 

Edited May 5, 2021 by F250

[Bevo 13590]

2 hours ago, achooloco said:

yeah, haven't read that article but that first paragraph is abysmal. great job journalists! 

 

I thought this title below the article was kind of interesting: 4-month-old dies after chase, shootout with Louisiana murder suspect

[Updawg 2281]

I thought this title below the article was kind of interesting: 4-month-old dies after chase, shootout with Louisiana murder suspect

Is the infant injured, dead or ok?

[Bevo 13590]

5 minutes ago, Updawg said:

Is the infant injured, dead or ok?

I didn't read the article, but it sounds like he jacked someone's car and got into a shootout with a murder suspect.

[Your Mom 4828]

I mean, I wouldn't expect a 4-month old to fare well in a chase of any sort, or a shootout for that matter.

[JimmyJames 12271]

APD in the 80s and early 90s was something else. 

[jeevsie 3737]

So if he had actually bribed someone, he wouldn't have been convicted?

[Armybrat 40857]

4 hours ago, DigglerontheHoof said:

Something tells me he won't be too popular in prison. 

Double dead for the scam and for being an ex-cop

[OneOfTheOutOfFocusGuys 2078]

I wonder how approaching the police went. It is a pretty delicate situation to go to a cop and say I was trying to bribe public officials and I’m a Colombian drug lord, arrest this other guy.

[ztejas 43524]

I guess you could say he's DWI screwed.

[NotActuallyALonghorn 4976]

48 minutes ago, Your Mom said:

I mean, I wouldn't expect a 4-month old to fare well in a chase of any sort, or a shootout for that matter.

I tried to teach mine to shoot my carry gun just in case we ever get in a shootout and I am incapacitated, and all I ended up with is a dead dog. But on the bright side he has a nice future in law enforcement awaiting him.

[HornOnTheBayou 8942]

Look, I wanted to make some extra cash, so I figured "Why don't I scam some Columbian drug kingpins?" They'll never figure it out.

[Updawg 2281]

I forgot he used to be a cop. Ouch

[Steel Shank 9430]

Looks like Balagia fucked around, and now....

[Johnny Sack 8397]

Why should it be illegal to scam organized crime out of their ill-gotten games?  Am I the only one who thinks that this should be encouraged by the government?

Like a Letter of Marque in the pirating days. If you want to assume the risk of getting chainsawed to death, then let them scam some drug lords.

 

[Dewey 3286]

9 minutes ago, Johnny Sack said:

Why should it be illegal to scam organized crime out of their ill-gotten games?  Am I the only one who thinks that this should be encouraged by the government?

Like a Letter of Marque in the pirating days. If you want to assume the risk of getting chainsawed to death, then let them scam some drug lords.

 

DWI dude was fucking with the government's money. 

[Dennis Taylor 18848]

7 hours ago, Your Mom said:

I mean, I wouldn't expect a 4-month old to fare well in a chase of any sort, or a shootout for that matter.

The kid lived hard and fast. Nobody expected him to keep that pace up for long

[Guest]

2 hours ago, Dewey said:

DWI dude was fucking with the government's money. 

Johnny did say to fuck with the criminals...

[Willfully Horn 8041]

8 hours ago, NotActuallyALonghorn said:

I tried to teach mine to shoot my carry gun just in case we ever get in a shootout and I am incapacitated, and all I ended up with is a dead dog. But on the bright side he has a nice future in law enforcement awaiting him.