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SALT LAKE CITY — A warrant has been issued for a woman whom the Utah State Bar considers a "scam artist" based on her long history of misrepresenting herself as an attorney.
Judge John Paul Kennedy issued the $13,000 warrant for Mary Ann Lucero's arrest after she failed to appear for an Oct. 29 hearing in 3rd District Court. Kennedy also sentenced Lucero, also known as Mary Ann Dipoma, to serve 210 days in jail and pay a $7,000 fine for violating the terms of an order that prohibits her from practicing law without a license.
The Utah State Bar first began investigating Lucero in 1994, according to Elizabeth Wright, the bar's general counsel. Three years later, the organization obtained an injunction against Lucero that prohibited her from practicing law without a license.
"She did serve jail time in 2009 — 210 days in jail for the unauthorized practice of law — but that didn't stop her," Wright said. "She's continued since then to not only engage in the unauthorized practice of law, but to really rip people off. She's a scam artist."
The new violations of the court's order arise out of Lucero's actions in recent months. In one incident, Lucero told a Salt Lake County man she was a lawyer and offered to help him get life insurance benefits following his wife's death, court records show.
"After all was done, (the man) received nothing but Ms. Lucero had all his funds," court records state.
She did serve jail time in 2009 — 210 days in jail for the unauthorized practice of law — but that didn't stop her.
–Elizabeth Wright, Utah State Bar general counsel
Lucero also told a woman she was an attorney who could help her avoid foreclosure on an investment property, according to the court records. When the case was finished, court records show Lucero's boyfriend held the title to the client's property.
Court records also show that a state prison inmate and his mother paid Lucero $850 after she told them she specializes in handling police abuse cases. She took the money but never filed a lawsuit, according to the allegations.
Lucero does have prior convictions for communications fraud, court records indicate. Wright said the state bar offers an easy way for people to make sure the person they are hiring is a licensed attorney.
"You can either call the bar or go to our website, www.utahbar.org, and verify whether or not someone is a lawyer," she said.
Anyone with information about where Lucero may be is asked to call their local police department or the Utah State Bar at 801-531-9077.
