By Liz Shepherd
InkFreeNews

Scott Lennox

PLYMOUTH — Former Warsaw attorney Scott Lennox will serve seven years in prison after violating his terms of probation, following a criminal case in which he stole funds from the law firm he worked for.

Lennox was sentenced on March 26, in Marshall County.

Marshall County Superior Court Two Judge Dean Colvin revoked Lennox’s probation and ordered him to serve seven years at the Indiana Department of Correction. Immediately after the sentencing, Lennox was remanded to the custody of the Marshall County sheriff.

At sentencing, Kosciusko County Clerk Ann Torpy testified via telephone about Lennox’s restitution payments. The clerk’s office oversaw Lennox’s payments for the criminal case, and a civil plenary Lennox is a defendant in. For the civil matter, Lennox was ordered to pay $40,185 in restitution. As of March 26, Lennox has paid $14,086.13 in restitution to the civil plenary and $855 in restitution to the criminal matter.

Torpy said Lennox’s former employer requested the county clerk’s office apply a garnishment request to the civil suit.

Defense Attorney Alexander Hoover said a garnishment order for the civil plenary was filed on Sept. 17, 2021. A garnishment order for the criminal matter was filed Sept. 21, 2021. Torpy said in her line of work, she typically sees employers address the garnishment order they receive first prior to any additional orders.

Lennox also testified, stating he completed an inpatient program in Kalamazoo, Mich., then did a nine-month outpatient care program in Allen County. He said he’s been continuing counseling because of dealing with substance abuse problems for over 40 years.

Lennox said working and staying healthy were his personal goals. With the garnishment orders, Lennox said he was unaware of how they were functioning and that his understanding was the garnishment order in the criminal case would be addressed first.

In regards to employment, Lennox said he’s been unemployed since September 2023, but had two or three different job prospects in Michigan.

Elkhart County Prosecutor Vicki Becker, working as the presiding prosecutor in Lennox’s case, said it did not make sense for a former practicing attorney to not understand how the garnishment orders worked. She noted Lennox’s drug use, including the use of illegal substances for mental health matters, as an issue.

Becker asked Colvin to revoke Lennox’s probation and send him to prison.

“(Lennox) has been offered all sorts of opportunities to do better, and he is flying in the face of your orders,” said Becker to Colvin. “There are so many different things that can be done. We’ve wasted enough time. Please hold him accountable.”

Hoover noted the lack of restitution payments from Lennox over the last year, as well as Lennox’s substance abuse, as the two main issues with the case. He argued that he didn’t see who would benefit from Lennox going to prison, as the victims would not be receiving restitution.

Background on Criminal Case

On Nov. 27, 2018, a Warsaw Police officer met with Matthew Buehler, who worked as a local attorney at the time. Buehler said Lennox took money from three trust accounts and from the business operating account of Lennox, Sobek and Buehler LLC.

The law firm’s bookkeeper said she wrote checks at Lennox’s direction for $7,000 to Bowers Jewelry and $6,000 to The Car Company. Neither of the companies were clients of the law firm. The Bowers Jewelry check was for an engagement ring and The Car Company check was for a payment on Lennox’s son’s vehicle.

Lennox’s law license was suspended in 2019.

In February 2020, Lennox was sentenced on two counts of fraud on a financial institution, both level 5 felonies; and six counts of theft, all level 6 felonies. At that time, Colvin gave Lennox a 12-year suspended sentence. As part of his sentence, Lennox was ordered to pay $51,088.52 in restitution.

Lennox was projected to be released from probation on Feb. 26, 2027. However, a motion to revoke Lennox’s probation was filed by Lennox’s probation officer on March 27, 2023. Several motions updating Lennox’s violations were also filed.

According to those motions, Lennox submitted to oral swabs on March 8, 2023; April 12, 2023; and Dec. 28, 2023. All three of those tests showed positive results for amphetamine and methamphetamine.

Lennox also failed to report in person to his probation officer seven times between August 2023 and January 2024. Marshall County’s probation department also said Lennox failed to keep gainful employment and attend counseling, both of which were required as part of Lennox’s probation.

Related Articles

• Former Warsaw Attorney Admits To Violating Probation; Sentencing Set For March 26
• Lennox Receives Suspended Sentence In Fraud, Theft Case