Ex-judge ordered to give up practicing law, pay back $115,200

A former Scott County municipal judge and Cape Girardeau lawyer has surrendered his law license and been ordered to pay restitution to three of his clients.

A Pemiscot County judge ordered Michael L. Richey, 58, to repay $115,200 to three of his clients. Richey pleaded guilty April 29 to three counts of passing bad checks rather than face a jury trial. Attorney General Jay Nixon filed charges against Richey in February.

Judge Byron Luber, presiding in Cape Girardeau County circuit court on Tuesday, ordered Richey to repay $115,200. According to Luber's order, Richey must pay $13,200 to Fred Kraft, $20,000 to Richard Griffith, both of Cape Girardeau and $82,000 to Tom and Cindy Robbins of Patton, Mo.

Richey has already made restitution to the Lutheran Home of Cape Girardeau, which was not included in this case.

Richey also was ordered to surrender his law license and now is prohibited from working in a law office in any capacity.

During his pretrial conference in April, the state recommended that Richey give up his law license, be given a four-year suspended prison sentence, be placed on five years supervised probation and make restitution. That is the decision Luber handed down.