SHERMAN OAKS—On September 21, a Sherman Oaks attorney was sentenced in a “witness-tampering” stalking case, according to the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office.
The defendant, 43-year-old Sean Greg Erenstoft, had been indicted in January, and entered a “no contest” plea on July 14 to one felony count of attempting to bribe a witness, according to Deputy District Attorney Paul Nuñez of the Justice System Integrity Division.
The District Attorney reports that Erenstoft had represented a defendant in the stalking case, in which he allegedly filed a civil case against the victim in an attempt to convince her not to testify against his client at a preliminary hearing.
Erenstoft may face disbarment from practicing California law in accordance with the plea; however, it has not been confirmed that Erenstoft has been officially disbarred.The California State Bar website further indicates that Erenstoft is still currently active as an attorney. The prosecutor reports that Erenstoft later attempted to drop the civil case in exchange for a positive testimony at his client’s sentencing.
Erenstoft had also represented a suspect in a separate case involving a 2008-2009 burglary crime spree in which a series of burglaries was reportedly committed against several celebrities.
The defendant in the burglary case, 18-year-old Calabasas resident Nicholas Prugo, received charges associated with eight alleged burglaries of residences of celebrities such as Audrina Patridge, Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan and Orlando Bloom. Prugo is believed to be a member of a small robbery outfit consisting of co-defendants Diana Tamayo, Courtney Ames, Roy Lopez Jr. and Rachel Lee, who is believed to be the leader of the group.
The current stalking case is to be further reviewed by the State Bar of California. Judge David Wesley, of the Los Angeles Superior Court, formally sentenced Erenstoft to three years of probation and 100 hours of community service. Erenstoft is also to pay $9,028 in restitution to the victim.
