Apparently Breaking Bad should have come with a “Do Not Try This At Home” disclaimer.
But no one told Jack Vitayanon (allegedly). Vitayanon is an adjunct professor at Georgetown Law and an Attorney-Advisor at the Internal Revenue Service’s Office of Professional Responsibility (yup, you read that right, PROFESSIONAL F*CKING RESPONSIBILITY), and he was arrested yesterday on charges he conspired with others to distribute at least 500 grams of methamphetamine.
And, as reported by the New York Daily News, U.S. Attorney Robert Capers was fully aware of the parallels:
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“As alleged, the defendant – a federal attorney working for the IRS’s Office of Professional Responsibility – broke bad and supplemented his income by selling distribution quantities of methamphetamine. The defendant will now be held to account for his alleged criminal conduct,” Brooklyn U.S. Attorney Robert Capers said.
Vitayanon came to the attention of authorities when they seized a package with 460 grams of meth. The intended recipient spilled the beans on her source in Arizona and on Vitayanon. At law enforcement’s direction, a video chat with Vitayanon was taped :
Court papers say Vitayanon could be seen smoking what looked like meth from a glass pipe and agreed to send an ounce to the source on consignment.
Vitayanon then allegedly texted the source the next day to say he was packaging the meth. He requested a $1,650 deposit for a bank account of his and another controlled by the Arizona source.
The package was eventually seized. When authorities searched Vitayanon’s apartment, prosecutors said they found methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, packaging materials and drug ledgers.
Sounds juicy — I can’t wait to see what happens next season.
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UPDATE (1:00 p.m.): What is up with Georgetown Law and selling meth?
UPDATE (2/3/2017, 4:10 p.m.): It turns out that Vitayanon is a Biglaw alum, as one tipster told us: “I worked with Jack at Debevoise & Plimpton, where he was an associate for a few years. He was a good guy, I’m truly shocked. Very active in the firm gay social committee.”
Lawyer in IRS professional standards office busted for dealing crystal meth [New York Daily News]
Earlier: Breaking Bad at a Leading Law School: T14 Law Student Sentenced to Four Years for Meth Dealing
Kathryn Rubino is an editor at Above the Law. AtL tipsters are the best, so please connect with her. Feel free to email her with any tips, questions, or comments and follow her on Twitter (@Kathryn1).