Ex-lawyer convicted of farm fraud sent to prison

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - A disbarred lawyer convicted of defrauding a Delta man and his son-in-law out of their home, dairy and land 12 years ago has been sent to prison after authorities say he violated his probation.

Fourth District Judge James Brady ordered 60-year-old Jamis Johnson to start serving one to 15 years in prison earlier this month.

A jury convicted Johnson of securities fraud in March 2007 for offering farmers stock in American-Dairy.com in exchange for control of their farms.

Prosecutors say Johnson and his co-defendant Paul Schwenke exchanged the worthless stock for the farms and then used the properties as collateral for bank loans. Authorities say the two men kept the money for themselves and the farms ended up in foreclosure.

Johnson is accused of violating probation by associating with Schwenke.

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