by Paul Peirce
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| Pennsylvania Supreme Court's chambers in the Pennsylvania State Capitol in Harrisburg. |
A Greensburg attorney who admitted in 2019 to stealing nearly $50,000 from a fraternal organization has been disbarred by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.
The state’s highest court this week issued a two-sentence order barring Donald Blake Moreman, 60, who lives in Bullskin, Fayette County, from practicing law in the state.
The suspension stemmed from Moreman’s guilty pleas in April 2019 to 75 counts of forgery and four counts each of theft by unlawful taking and theft for stealing $49,595 from the Pleasant Valley Masonic Hall Association, also in Bullskin. Moreman, who was the group’s treasurer, forged signatures on checks and diverted the funds for personal use between June 2017 and August 2018, investigators said.
Moreman was sentenced in Fayette County to intermediate punishment for 36 months, with 18 months on house arrest. As part of the agreement with prosecutors, Moreman agreed to pay back the money to the association. Court records indicate he has.
He was temporarily suspended from practicing law by the Supreme Court in August 2019 after his guilty plea.
Moreman attempted to avoid a state disciplinary board recommendation that he be disbarred and instead filed a brief last year suggesting he receive a public reprimand or one-year suspension from practicing law. According to documents related to the case, Moreman claimed he “only pleaded guilty to avoid incarceration,” made restitution, was remorseful, had evidence of good character and had no history of prior discipline.
Moreman testified at the Supreme Court’s Disciplinary Board hearing, but the board recommended he be disbarred.
“In aggravation, we find that (Moreman) lacked credibility and failed to demonstrate remorse and acceptance of responsibility for his repeated criminal activities,” the board wrote.
Moreman could not be reached for comment. His practice was on South Main Street in Greensburg.
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