OKC attorney disbarred as he faces new charges

Oklahoma City attorney Lewis B. Moon was banned Tuesday from practicing law after being accused of posing as a federal firearms agent and threatening another attorney.

The Oklahoma Supreme Court called Moon, 47, “an embarrassment to the legal profession” and rejected his request for “leniency based upon his history of alcoholism.”

The Supreme Court in September publicly censured Moon for three alcohol-related offenses. Justices then warned him to stay out of trouble or face suspension for two years.

Justices decided instead to disbar him for failing his second chance to stop drinking.

They acted after he admitted to drinking when he allegedly posed as a federal agent in May and threatened violence at a bar in October.

“The clear and convincing evidence supports the allegations that he engaged in shooting firearms while intoxicated; identified himself as a federal ATF agent; attempted to extort money from and assaulted and battered a fellow lawyer; threatened the same attorney with death; and even more reprehensible, told his fellow Bar member that he could have his daughter raped,” the Supreme Court wrote.

Justices wrote testimony in the first disciplinary case made it clear Moon served clients well.

“Several colleagues and judges … felt certain that Moon had conquered his demons,” justices wrote. “We were of the same opinion. However, Moon admits having ‘fell off the wagon with a thud;’ drinking alcohol on May 19, 2012, and October 7, 2012; and having engaged in profane and insulting be- havior while intoxicated.”

Moon’s attorney, John Coyle, said, “He accepts responsibility for what occurred and continues to work on conquering his alcoholism.”

In Logan County District Court, Moon faces a misdemeanor charge of posing as a police officer.

In Oklahoma County District Court, he faces felony counts of attempted extortion and threatening a violent act and a misdemeanor count of assault and battery. He is accused in the felony case of trying to force attorney James Pasquali to repay a legal fee to another man at the bar.

Pasquali testified at a disciplinary hearing that Moon threatened to run a pen through his neck.

“He said, ‘I’ll put you through a shredder.’ He said, ‘Nobody will ever find anything of you except for your tooth.’ ” Pasquali testified.

“This went on and on and on … Every time I tried to get up he’d grab me … and he’d jerk me back down in the chair and pull me down. He’d pull me real close to his face … I felt like he was very dangerous and I felt very much in fear of my life.”