Dec.17, 2009

A lawyer who operated out of College Park was convicted on federal money laundering charges Tuesday at the U.S. District Court in Greenbelt.

Walter L. Blair, 57, of Brookville, was convicted on nine counts of money laundering, two counts of failure to file a tax return, and single counts of witness tampering, obstruction of justice and making a false statement to an Internal Revenue Service agent.

Prosecutors argued that Blair, who had law offices in College Park and Washington, D.C., accepted $170,000 in 2003 from the relative of a Richmond, Va., drug dealer and used the money to purchase real estate and pay lawyers representing the drug dealer's acquaintances.

The relative had initially approached Blair for legal advice on how to handle the money, after the drug dealer had gone missing. The drug dealer was later found murdered.

"This verdict sends a clear message that no one is above the law, and attorneys who assist criminals with laundering their illegal income will be criminally prosecuted," C. Andre Martin, an IRS criminal investigator, said in a statement.

Federal Bureau of Investigation officials also testified that Blair told the relative not to tell investigators about the money and to lie if she was questioned on the topic. Evidence also showed that he failed to file tax returns in 2003 and 2004.

Blair faces a maximum 20-year sentence for each of the nine money laundering counts, 10 years for obstruction of justice, 10 years for witness tampering, five years for a false statement to an IRS agent and one year for each of the two counts of failing to file a tax return.

He will be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Peter J. Messitte at 9:30 a.m. March 10. Messitte will decide whether the sentences for each crime will be served concurrently or consecutively, said U.S. Attorney's Office spokeswoman Marcia Murphy.