Montgomery County Judge Wendy G. Rothstein compared Patrick Joseph Bradley to a hardened robber when she sentenced the Lower Providence lawayer to 17-34 years in state prison – which amounts to at least a year behind bars for each client he bilked.

“The betrayal of trust is abhorrent. You violated the sanctity of the attorney-client relationship. You lied and deceived your clients,” Montgomery County Judge Wendy G. Rothstein sternly addressed disgraced lawyer Bradley as she sentenced him to 17-to-34 years in a state correctional facility for stealing from 17 clients, writes Carl Hessler Jr. in The Times Herald.

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Bradley pleaded guilty earlier this year to 80 charges including, theft by unlawful taking, theft by deception, receiving stolen property, theft by failure to make required disposition of funds received, deceptive business practices and unauthorized practice of law in connection with incidents that occurred between 2013 and 2016. Bradley admitted to stealing $126,939 from six clients whose trusts he had administered and $40,932 from 11 other clients who paid Bradley for legal work that was never completed.

“This was a deep and pervasive deception of people who were so vulnerable. He left people high and dry. The victims all expressed they were anxious and upset and felt they were taken advantage of,” said Assistant District Attorney Kelli McGinnis, who sought a lengthy prison term against Bradley. “He was manipulative and he needs to be held accountable for everything.”

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