(CN) - A New York appellate division disbarred attorney Patrick G. Tzeuton after he was convicted of immigration fraud in Maryland.
The appeals court took the action against Tzeuton after a Maryland jury convicted him of seven counts of knowingly presenting false asylum applications, one count of obstruction of an official proceeding and one count of conspiracy to commit immigration fraud.
Tzeuton was sentenced to 64 months in prison for these federal felonies.
In a per-curiam decision, the justices of the Albany-based Third District New York Appellate Division rejected Tzeuton's request to wait for the outcome of his appeal.
"Respondent's criminal conduct strikes at the core principles of the Rules of Professional Conduct ... and unquestionably reflects adversely on his trustworthiness and fitness to practice law," the justices wrote.
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