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