VENTURA : Lawyer’s Conviction in LSD Case Reduced

A Superior Court judge reduced the felony conviction of a Ventura lawyer who was convicted of possession of LSD to a misdemeanor Wednesday.

Judge Burt Henson sentenced 42-year-old Douglas Andrew Palaschak to 90 days in jail, three years probation and a drug treatment program.

Last week, Henson agreed to consider a motion to reduce the felony conviction to a misdemeanor after defense attorney Robert I. Schwartz argued that a felony conviction would ruin Palaschak’s career.

Palaschak and office worker Jessica Jobin were arrested last May 9 after another worker, Melissa Schwentner, 17, told police there was an LSD party at Palaschak’s office.

Jobin, who was initially charged with possession of LSD for sale, pleaded guilty last week to a lesser charge of possession in return for testifying against Palaschak. Jobin received 20 days on a work-release program and three years probation, Schwartz said.

Palaschak, who was acquitted of furnishing LSD to a minor and conspiracy to possess the drug, is under investigation by the California State Bar over several other allegations and matters including a contract that Palaschak asked several prospective female employees to sign.

The contract said that the applicant had been chosen “primarily on the basis of sexual appeal” and that Palaschak was considering the applicant as a potential girlfriend. By signing the document, the prospective employee gave the attorney the right to make sexual overtures, both physical and verbal.

Palaschak has said that he drew up the contract to protect himself from “sexual blackmail” and that it was signed last year by only one secretary out of more than 50 secretaries who have worked for the attorney for brief periods.

The State Bar is also investigating Palaschak for several traffic citations as well as citations for failure to appear in court, said State Bar spokeswoman Susan Scott.

Palaschak was already serving a 390-day sentence in Ventura County Jail for traffic citations, failures to appear in court and contempt-of-court citations, and driving with a suspended license.

Starting May 18, Palaschak will be unable to practice law and must return advance fees until a State Bar panel holds a hearing and decides what sanctions to impose, Scott said.

The minimum punishment would be a private reproof and the most severe would be disbarment, Scott said.