Liberty attorney found guilty of obstruction of justice in federal court

An attorney from Liberty was convicted in federal court Monday for obstruction of justice after authorities said he stole funds meant for restitution.

The U.S. attorney’s office for the Western District of Missouri said Robert J. Young, II, 48, was found guilty of one count of obstruction of justice by U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips at the conclusion of a one-day bench trial.

Young was indicted a year ago by a grand jury.

Previous reports said the family of a criminal defendant had given Young more than $62,000 for the purpose of making restitution in the defendant’s case. Prosecutors said Young instead used the money to buy a motorcycle and to make rent payments and retail purchases.

The money was later paid after Young was relieved from the case, according to prosecutors.

Young could face a sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison without parole. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a pre-sentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul S. Becker, and it was investigated by the FBI.

This story was originally published November 6, 2017 at 9:17 PM with the headline "Liberty attorney found guilty of obstruction of justice in federal court."