LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — A Las Vegas attorney has been disbarred in exchange for having several charges against him dismissed.
Former attorney Douglas Crawford was facing five counts of open or gross lewdness.
Crawford was arrested in May 2022 after being accused of inappropriate sexual behavior with his employees and clients. According to arrest reports, police were told that Crawford "made numerous offensive comments of a suggestive and sexual nature" and he "would touch them in a sexual manner and the touching was unwanted, unwelcomed, and nonconsensual."
The report goes on to say employees that were touched inappropriately were showered with gifts and money and were paid "a substantially higher salary to remain working for him than that of someone doing similar work at another law firm."
Security video from the law office also showed Crawford having sex with clients he was representing, the report says.
Las Vegas police eventually sent an undercover officer to investigate the claims and when she posed as a client, Crawford allegedly said "I wish you weren't my client now. I would kiss you on your neck."
Court records show that the lewdness charges against Crawford were dismissed on Jan. 21. That was eight days after he was disbarred by the Nevada Supreme Court.
I reached out to the Nevada Supreme Court and officials told me that disbarment is permanent.
This wasn't Crawford's first brush with the law. A report also noted that Crawford previously had his license suspended from 2007-2012 "due to misappropriation of client funds, which totaled approximately $398,345."
