SHERMAN, Texas – A local criminal defense attorney known as "The DWI Dude" was convicted Tuesday in federal court for defrauding his Colombian cocaine trafficking clients, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office.
James Morris Balagia, who is also known as Jamie Balagia, was found guilty of five criminal charges after a two-week trial, according to the news release. The jury convicted him of conspiracy to commit money laundering, obstruction of justice, violation of the Kingpin Act, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and conspiracy to obstruct justice.
Balagia was accused of conspiring with a Florida private investigator and a Colombian attorney to defraud the accused drug traffickers.
The group would tell clients that they can bribe government officials to dismiss or significantly reduce their charges. But there were no bribe or government officials they were in contact with, according to the news release.
“This defendant-and his group-were running a scam on drug dealers – some of the biggest drug dealers in the world,” said U.S. Attorney Joe Brown.  “Fortunately for him, these drug dealers chose to turn him into the FBI rather than handle it any other way.  It is important for the American justice system that we prosecute those who represent that the justice system is for sale.  The Colombians, and criminals in every other country that we deal with, need to understand things don’t work that way in the United States.  When we have lawyers representing that officials can be bought, we take that very seriously.”
Balagia made hundreds of thousands of dollars in the scheme, according to the news release. He faces up to 30 years in federal prison.
A sentencing hearing will be scheduled in the future, according to the news release.