Disbarred lawyer in New Hampshire pleads guilty to stealing from clients, is sentenced to state prison

A former New Hampshire attorney has been sentenced to state prison after he pleaded guilty to stealing nearly $360,000 from his clients, the state attorney general’s office said Monday.

David C. Dunn, 64, of Durham, was sentenced in the Hillsborough County-Northern District Superior Court to five to 10 years in prison for four class A felony counts of theft by misapplication of property, but he could be out in as little as one year, Attorney General John M. Formella’s office said.

While working as a licensed attorney in Manchester, Dunn stole $359,711 from multiple clients’ financial accounts between March 16, 2016, and June 9, 2021, prosecutors said in a statement.

He used the funds to support his law practice, including to pay his salary, among other expenses, Formella’s office said. Dunn was disbarred in 2022, prosecutors said.

He was sentenced to serve five to 10 years for each conviction in the New Hampshire State Prison, but the sentences will be served concurrently, the statement said. The court also suspended four years of the minimum prison term for 10 years, meaning that Dunn could be released in as little as a year, according to a spokesperson for Formella.

Under the suspended sentence, Dunn cannot practice law or serve as a fiduciary for any person or entity, the statement said.

Dunn paid full restitution to the victims in the case prior to sentencing, prosecutors said.