MONROE COUNTY — State police say they arrested and charged a lawyer in Monroe County for letting his client know that his home would be searched.
According to the Pennsylvania State Police, they found that William Austin Watkins, an attorney from Tobyhanna, broke his duty by telling his client private information.
According to the criminal complaint, Watkins said that he heard troopers talking about how they were going to carry out a search order that involved guns.
Police say Watkins told the troopers that he thought the search order they were talking about might have something to do with his client and told him to “not commit crimes.” It was written in the statement that Watkins admitted telling his client that he “needed to get rid of any firearms.”
Officers said Watkins also told them that he knew his client had neighbors who would “be able to store a firearm on his behalf.”
According to court records, troopers told Watkins that “because of the nature of his client’s suspected involvement in his wife’s death, his disclosure could have led to an ambush on law enforcement.”
Watkins was officially charged with resisting the government and tampering with or making up physical proof.
Source: Attorney charged with tipping off client of police investigation
