On July 18, 2012, Kirnan, a disbarred attorney and former mayor of Verona, pleaded guilty to stealing $750,000 from three clients he represented in real estate and other legal transactions from 2009 to 2010, while practicing law in West Caldwell. Instead of depositing the money in his attorney trust account and using it for the intended purpose, Kirnan stole the money.

Today Judge Hutchinson-Henderson sentenced Kirnan to 7 years in New Jersey State Prison, noting Kirnan had previously been arrested by the FBI for filing fraudulent IRS documents and was on one-year probation for practicing law under false impression in Bergen County.

“The law works no matter who you are,” said Deputy Chief Assistant Prosecutor Walter Dirkin, who handled the case. “Whether you’re someone who holds himself out as respectable in the community or whether you’re an average citizen, you can’t go from contrition to redemption without consequences. Every time Mr. Kirnan has been put in a position of trust, he abused it.”

Prosecutor Murray commended Detective Eric A. Serio for his outstanding work on this case.

Kirnan, a disbarred attorney, represented himself, when he pleaded guilty on July 16 to three counts of theft by deception before the Honorable Sherry Hutchins-Henderson, J.S.C.

Under the terms of a plea agreement, Kirnan, who is a former mayor of Verona, is expected to be sentenced to seven years when he is sentenced on Sept. 28.

Between 2009 and 2010, while practicing law in West Caldwell, Kirnan received money from two people at closings that was supposed to be used to pay off outstanding real estate mortgages. Instead of paying off the mortgages, Kirnan stole the money. On a third occasion, during that same period, Kirnan received money as part of an estate following a death. He was supposed to use the funds deposited in his attorney trust account to pay inheritance taxes but never did.

“This defendant was a trusted attorney and a respected member of the community, who used that trust to take advantage of unsuspecting members of the public,’’ said Deputy Chief Assistant Prosecutor Walter Dirkin, who handled the case.