Former Oregon Attorney Megan Moeller to Change Plea in Federal Criminal Case
Moeller’s trial for identity theft, wire fraud, and forgery was finally set to begin in August, after six delays
Last Friday, federal prosecutors filed a “superseding information” in the criminal case already commenced against former Albany-area attorney Megan Moeller (aka Perry), for her wire fraud and identity theft.
The charges stem from Moeller’s work in 2016 and 2017 as a family law attorney, in which Moeller “knowingly forged signatures” of three victims upon a fraudulent affidavit of service and a USPS certified mail receipt. Moeller also forged a notary stamp upon the affidavit.
The docket in Moeller’s criminal case now indicates that she is set to change her plea this Friday, May 6, 2022; and the jury trial that had been set for late August has been removed from the calendar.
This expeditious handling of Moeller makes it all the more interesting that there is such a delay in getting a plea change out of Lori Deveny, Oregon’s other former lawyer crime spree. Why couldn't Deveny get hustled into court the same week she decided she was actually guilty?
And the bigger question on everyone’s minds: are Moeller and Deveny’s cases related somehow?
Interestingly, this new information in Moeller’s case— which is far more detailed than the previous filing — states that her “scheme to defraud” began “in at least 2014.”
Yet the specific charges against Moeller are the result of the forgeries from mid-2017.
Moeller got her law license in late 2013 and immediately set about defrauding clients, court staff, and opponents, so it’s difficult to tell where her crime spree starts and stops — or if it even stopped with her disbarment or this new federal indictment. But there is one case from 2014 that has federal implications, and also involves wire fraud, a forged affidavit, and simulation of legal process.
It is the case in which Moeller forged the signature of Blainey Elkins on a document relinquishing her rights to parent her baby. Elkins hasn’t seen her son since then. The case happens to be back in court again, but without the understanding that Elkins and her son are crime victims. Rather, Elkins is forced to proceed slowly and civilly, despite the fact that her identity was stolen, her signature forged, and her baby effectively kidnapped.
Lorena Reynolds, the attorney who took over for Moeller in the case, did not return a request for comments on what this new information means to the family currently in custody of Elkins’ son, Kye — whose name they unofficially changed to Toby.
Updates on both stories and others when more information becomes available.
