Riverview Lawyer Disbarred; Valrico Lawyer Suspended

The state Supreme Court has disbarred a Riverview lawyer and suspended a Valrico lawyer, the Tampa Bay Times reports.

The punishments were announced by the Florida Bar on Tuesday.

According to the Times, Heather Mary Ann Gray, 40, of Riverview was reprimanded for several offenses:

Gray was suspended for three years in 2010 because clients, court officers and investigators could not reach her, according to records. Three clients said Gray took their money to file appeals but failed to file the motions in a timely fashion, if at all. Then, she didn't maintain communication with her clients or their families, according to a complaint.

Appeals court judges ordered Gray to file her appeals and motions on time for several cases, and to appear in court and explain why when she didn't. She failed to do either.

She also didn't respond to certified letters from the Bar or a hand-delivered letter from an investigator.

Then in February 2010, the Bar sent Gray a letter about another complaint filed against her, and she did not respond in the allotted time.

Also disciplined was Ryan Thomas Fasso, of Valrico, who was suspended for six months for violating terms of an April 2010 suspension, according to the report.

"The Bar said he didn't file his quarterly reports and contacted at least one client during his suspension," the Times writes.

Two other lawyers, David Anthony Fontes, of Tampa, and Randall Shanafelt, of Clearwater, were also suspended.