A Southbury attorney has been sentenced for stealing from elderly client trust accounts.  78-year old Robert Barry of Woodbury was ordered to 21 months in prison following by 3 years of supervised release, the first 6 months in home confinement. 

Barry was a partner in the law firm of Sturges and Mathes, located in Southbury, specializing in trust and estates work.  He stole more than $2.4 million and filed false federal estate tax returns.  He was ordered to pay restitution and $1.5 million to residual beneficiaries. 

He drafted trust agreements for clients designating himself as successor trustee in the event of the client’s death or incapacity.  He also prepared wills for clients that named Barry as executor of the client’s estate upon death.  In addition to having money deposited into accounts he controlled, Barry sent false and misleading statements to be sent to the victim and the victim’s residual beneficiary about the disposition of assets. 

Barry was ordered to report to prison on September 3rd.