Woman accused of posing as attorney is sentenced to jail


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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A judge on Friday sentenced a Utah woman accused of posing as a lawyer to serve two months in jail and pay more than $8,000 in fines and restitution.

Karla Carbo, 30, had a law office, advertised legal services online and even negotiated a plea deal for a client but has never been licensed to practice law in Utah, according to prosecutors.

Authorities said Carbo used a real lawyer's name and bar license number to avoid scrutiny and be allowed in the courtrooms as she represented five clients in criminal and divorce cases.

District Judge Keith Kelly initially sentenced Carbo to serve one to 15 years in prison and pay $35,000 in fines, but immediately suspended that sentence and instead ordered her to serve three years' probation and 90 days in jail.

Carbo was given credit for 28 days she already served, leaving her with a 62-day sentence. She also needs to pay more than $8,000 in fines and restitution to the victims who were her clients.

Kelly also ordered Carbo not to work in a legal-related job.

Carbo pleaded guilty in July to four felony charges, including fraud and forgery. Eight other counts were dismissed as part of an agreement with prosecutors.

"She understands she has harmed these people. She understands she has harmed the legal system," said her lawyer, Michael Langford.

Prosecutor Wayne Jones said none of victims objected to the sentence, but he related a message from Karla Stirling, the lawyer whose name Carbo used. Jones said the situation had been a painful, frustrating ordeal for Stirling both professionally and personally.

The judge compared assuming a real lawyer's name to identity theft.

"The legal system affects people's lives, and it makes the crimes that were committed all the more serious," he said.

Stirling did not return a message seeking comment Friday.

Carbo did not speak in court Friday and declined to comment to reporters as she left with her lawyer.

"She's a hardworking mother and she just wants to put this behind her," Langford said.

Ryan Stack, a prosecutor in Summit County, where Carbo appeared representing a client, told The Associated Press in January that Carbo appeared inexperienced during plea negotiations with one of his colleagues.

Carbo didn't raise suspicions until the plea was entered into court records. That's when Utah State Bar officials realized Carbo had been using another attorney's bar number.

Details about the victims weren't included in charging documents. However, Summit County sheriff's Capt. Justin Martinez said after Carbo's arrest in December that her clients were mostly Hispanic immigrants.

Carbo was ordered to report to the Salt Lake County Jail by 5 p.m. Friday.

Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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LINDSAY WHITEHURST and MICHELLE L. PRICE

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