In the Matter of Vincent Chidozie Otuonye

847 S.E.2d 193, 309 Ga. 584

• Court: Supreme Court of Georgia
• Decided: August 10, 2020
• Docket: S20Y1265
• Status: Published

Opinion

FINAL COPY 309 Ga. 584

S20Y1265. IN THE MATTER OF VINCENT CHIDOZIE OTUONYE.

PER CURIAM.

This disciplinary matter is before the Court on the petition for

voluntary surrender of license filed by Vincent Chidozie Otuonye

(State Bar No. 555470), who has been a member of the Bar since June

2000. Otuonye was convicted in the Superior Court of Mitchell County

on one felony count of Criminal Attempt to Furnish Prohibited Items

(tobacco) to Inmates in violation of OCGA § 42-5-18, and sentenced to

five years, serve two. Thereafter, this Court accepted his petition for

voluntary suspension of license pending appeal. See In the Matter of

Otuonye, 302 Ga. 374 (806 SE2d 524) (2017). The Court of Appeals

ultimately affirmed his criminal convictions in an unpublished

opinion. See Otuonye v. State, 350 Ga. App. XXVI (Case No. A19A0437)

(May 30, 2019), cert. denied, S19C1443 (Jan. 13, 2020). After notifying

the State Bar about the result of his appeal, Otuonye filed this petition

for voluntary surrender of his license, which he acknowledges is tantamount to disbarment. In the petition, Otuonye admits that he

violated Rule 8.4 (a) (2) (lawyer shall not be convicted of a felony) of

Bar Rule 4-102 (d); admits that the conduct for which he was convicted

warrants disbarment, see In the Matter of Jones, 293 Ga. 264, 266 (744

SE2d 6) (2013) (finding that misdemeanor violations of OCGA § 42-4-

13 (e) for carrying items (tobacco) across the guard line at a jail

involved “moral turpitude” and warranted disbarment); and asks this

Court to accept his petition. The State Bar has responded, agreeing

with the facts as described in the petition and asking this Court to

accept it.

We have reviewed the record and accept Otuonye’s petition for

the voluntary surrender of his license. Accordingly, the name Vincent

Chidozie Otuonye hereby is removed from the rolls of persons entitled

to practice law in the State of Georgia. Otuonye is reminded of his

duties under Bar Rule 4-219 (b).

Voluntary surrender of license accepted. All the Justices concur. DECIDED AUGUST 10, 2020.

Voluntary surrender of license.

Paula J. Frederick, General Counsel State Bar, Jenny K.

Mittelman, James S. Lewis, Assistant General Counsel State Bar, for

State Bar of Georgia.