Legal issues grow for attorney

Bo Pritchard is expected back in court Nov. 16 on a probation violation.

Staff report

AUSTINTOWN — A recent conviction for operating a vehicle while impaired is the latest in a series of legal issues since 2004 for Warren “Bo” Pritchard.

Pritchard, an attorney and township trustee, was sentenced to 90 days in jail after pleading no contest Sept. 14 to a charge of OVI, according to court documents. He is to report to jail by 4 p.m. Nov. 24.

Pritchard, 53, is scheduled to appear before Judge David D’Apolito of Mahoning County Area Court in Austintown on Nov. 16 on a probation violation. This stemmed from a plea agreement made after he was charged with physical control of a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol in June 2008, according to court documents.

The plea agreement stated Pritchard was sentenced in December 2008 to 30 days in jail with 27 days suspended. In lieu of serving the remaining three days, he was able to attend a Driver Intervention Program.

Pritchard also pleaded no contest in Columbiana County Municipal Court to a reduced charge of reckless operation in 2004. The original charge was OVI first offense, according to court records.

He was fined $250 plus court costs, sentenced to 10 days in jail with seven suspended and was to spend the other three days at the Jefferson Behavioral Health Agency.

In a similar case, Pritchard pleaded no contest in Columbiana County Municipal Court to a 2006 charge of having physical control of a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. He was fined $500 plus court costs, sentenced to 15 days in jail that were suspended and placed on one year of intensive probation.

Pritchard’s legal practices also are a court matter, after the Mahoning County Bar Association on Thursday filed an 88-page document with the Ohio Supreme Court.

The document alleges multiple incidents of misconduct, including claims from clients said who they paid for services they never received and those who said he didn’t show up for court appearances or file cases in a timely manner.

The bar association began looking into issues with Pritchard in April, when William DiRenzo filed a complaint alleging misconduct. DiRenzo said he paid Pritchard $28,000 for a property on state Route 46 in Austintown Township in early 2006 but was never given a deed.

DiRenzo was told to make the $28,000 check payable to Mike Dockry, Austintown Township administrator and licensed attorney.

Dockry said the day he met DiRenzo and Pritchard to pick up the check was the first and only time he’d ever met DiRenzo.

Dockry said the reason the check was written to him was because it would be easy for him to get a cashier’s check in a short period of time.

“Bo assumed I wouldn’t have a problem getting immediate credit,” he said. “It was about an hour I had to get the check and get down to the sheriff’s sale. I was a delivery man. I was doing someone a favor.”

Dockry said he can’t say what happened because he doesn’t know the details of the agreement between DiRenzo and Pritchard in regard to the property.

Dockry said he spoke with Pritchard briefly Monday. Attempts by The Vindicator to contact Pritchard by phone and in person were unsuccessful.

“He called me and apologized for what was put in the paper” on Sunday, regarding the bar association complaint, Dockry said.

“Bo didn’t say a lot to me. The conversation was short.”

Pritchard is up for re-election as township trustee today.

Asked if he thought Pritchard would be re-elected, Dockry said: “I don’t know what’s going to happen.”