Former SFG accountant pleads guilty to perjury

|tab|

Plea agreement calls for Douglas A. Hamilton to work with authorities|ret||ret||tab|

|ret||ret||tab|

Douglas A. Hamilton, the former accountant for Springeld-based Stevens Financial Group, pleaded guilty Nov. 3 in Greene County Circuit Court to perjury in connection with defrauding investors. Hamilton also entered an Alford plea to a charge of making a false or misleading statement in connection with the sale of securities; that plea acknowledges the state had sufcient evidence to obtain a conviction.|ret||ret||tab|

The ofce of Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon is handling the prosecution of Hamilton and other SFG ofcials. |ret||ret||tab|

According to a news release from Nixon's ofce, Hamilton admitted to perjury by lying under oath in testimony before the Greene County grand jury. He falsely testied that he had sold Eagle Acceptance Corp. to another person when he had not. The charge of making a false or misleading statement is related to documents Hamilton led with the commissioner of securities that contained false signatures and dates.|ret||ret||tab|

Under the terms of the plea agreement, Hamilton must provide his completecooperation to state and federal authorities regarding his knowledge of individuals and companies related to SFG, including providing testimony in trials or other legal proceedings.|ret||ret||tab|

The state has agreed not to seek a sentence of more than four years in prison concurrent on each of the two counts. If Hamilton is placed on probation, he will be required to pay restitution as determined by the court.|ret||ret||tab|

In exchange for Hamilton's guilty plea, the state will dismiss eight other counts that were being brought against Hamilton. Those counts will be dismissed following his sentencing, which is scheduled for May 13 in Springeld. |ret||ret||tab|

Following a trial in Cass County in September, SFG President Clarence Stevens was convicted on ve counts of making a false or misleading statement. He is scheduled for sentencing Nov. 17. Two other ofcials connected with SFG, Marc Braun and Patrick Robarge, have yet to stand trial on charges being prosecuted by Nixon.|ret||ret||tab|

The FBI, the U.S. Department of Justice, the Internal Revenue Service, the Ofce of the Inspector General for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. and the Missouri Secretary of State's Ofce all were instrumental in the case, Nixon said.|ret||ret||tab|

[[In-content Ad]]