NATIONAL BRIEFING / NORTH DAKOTA
A man accused of impersonating a lawyer in at least 10 states has been sentenced to more than four years in prison and ordered to repay more than $150,000 to clients across the country.
A Bismarck jury convicted Howard O. Kieffer, 54, in April on charges of mail fraud and false statements. Authorities said Kieffer lied on his application to practice law in federal court.
Kieffer’s attorney, Joshua Lowther, of Savannah, Ga., said he expected to appeal.
Kieffer was the director of Federal Defense Associates in Santa Ana and ran an Internet discussion group on federal prison and sentencing issues.
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