| Matter of James P. Colliton (First Dept.; | | | | |
| Admitted to Bar: 1989). Discipline imposed: | | | | Finally, as related by the Departmental |
| Disbarred | | | | Disciplinary Committee: |
| | | | |
| This one ends with a whimper, rather than a | | | | On October 2, 2007, respondent [Colliton] |
| bang. | | | | pleaded guilty in Supreme Court, New York |
| | | | County, to rape in the second degree in |
| Attorney Colliton worked at the top law firm | | | | violation of Penal Law § 130.30(1), a |
| of Cravath Swaine & Moore, earning, like, | | | | class D felony, and to patronizing a |
| half-a-mil ($500,000) a year. He had a wife | | | | prostitute in the third degree in violation |
| and kids upstate in Poughkeepsie, and spent | | | | of Penal Law § 230.04, a class A |
| his days perusing the complexities of our tax | | | | misdemeanor, in full satisfaction of |
| laws. | | | | Indictment No. 0861-2006. On that same day, |
| | | | respondent also pleaded guilty to rape in the |
| Colliton, age 39, had a taste for underage | | | | third degree in violation of Penal Law § |
| girls. You may remember this case from the | | | | 130.25(2), a class E felony, in full |
| newspapers. Arrested in September, 2006, | | | | satisfaction of Indictment No. 1748-2006. The |
| Colliton claimed that the two teenage sisters | | | | charges to which respondent pled guilty |
| that he had sex with, aged 13 and 15, were | | | | alleged that he engaged in sexual intercourse |
| imped to him by their mother. | | | | with a person who was less than 15 years old |
| | | | and a person who was less than 17 years old, |
| Before he could be arrested, he tried to run | | | | and that he patronized a prostitute who was |
| away. He ran to Toronto, Canada, but was | | | | less than 17 years old. On October 11, 2007, |
| released due to a communication foul up. He | | | | respondent was sentenced to a term of |
| fled back to Manhattan. | | | | imprisonment of one year on each charge, to |
| | | | be served concurrently, and was required to |
| Finally, he was arrested alone in his room at | | | | register as a sex offender. |
| a flea bag hotel in Manhattan. This criminal | | | | |
| mastermind made the desk clerk suspicious | | | | And the case ends with a whimper: Upon |
| when he tried to register under two different | | | | conviction of a felony, Colliton was |
| names. | | | | automatically disbarred, and so holds the |
| | | | Departmental Disciplinary Committee. |
| He was recognized, and the cops called. | | | | |
| | | | Commentary: This rather dry opinion marks |
| According to Manhattan District Attorney | | | | the end to a high-paying legal career. It |
| Robert Morgenthau, Colliton was carrying | | | | being well known that prison is particularly |
| identification in the name of "James | | | | tough for child molesters, one can only |
| Sullivan," and "had a bag with a lot of cash | | | | wonder as to how tough prison will be for a |
| in it and a lot of American Express gift | | | | child-molesting tax attorney. |
| cards." | | | | |