Cedar County Attorney Pleads Guilty in FBI Investigation; Judge Dawson Responds

From the El Dorado Springs Newsroom

A Cedar County attorney whose professional conduct has been the subject of months of court scrutiny and local reporting has pleaded guilty in federal court to wire fraud after admitting he defrauded vulnerable clients and used funds intended for their care for personal benefit.

Peter A. Lee, 50, of Stockton, entered the guilty plea on Wednesday in U.S. District Court, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Missouri.

Federal prosecutors said Lee devised a scheme to obtain client funds for personal gain and concealed the misconduct by making false representations to clients and financial institutions. The victims included the decedent’s estate and a special needs trust. Authorities allege that from January 2019 through February 2025, Lee obtained $296,140 in client funds and used some client funds to repay victims of prior thefts.

Wire fraud carries a statutory maximum sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled following completion of the United States Probation Office’s presentence investigation.

The federal plea follows disciplinary action taken by the Missouri Supreme Court in 2025.

On May 22, 2025, the Missouri Supreme Court issued an order disbarring Lee after accepting his application for voluntary surrender of his law license. In the order, Lee acknowledged violations of multiple Missouri Rules of Professional Conduct, including rules governing safekeeping of client property, communication with clients, truthfulness in statements to others, and statements concerning judges and legal officials. The order directed that Lee’s name be stricken from the roll of Missouri attorneys.

The developments bring resolution to matters that have drawn sustained community attention over the past year.

As previously reported by The El Dorado Springs Sun, Lee was the attorney of record in estate proceedings involving the estate of Elmer Leroy Vann. Court hearings in late 2024 raised questions regarding the handling of estate funds and compliance with court directives.

During a Nov. 18, 2024, show cause hearing before Associate Circuit Judge Jacob Dawson, Lee did not initially appear. Court records reflect that counsel later entered on his behalf, and those subsequent proceedings included a joint motion for continuance. The estate involved approximately 20 acres of property that had been liquidated for $95,000, with the proceeds distributed to the heirs.

Throughout the past year, readers contacted The Sun with questions regarding the proceedings and the broader implications for clients.

The Sun reached out to Judge Dawson for comment regarding the court’s handling of the matter. In a written response, Dawson stated:

“I have certain obligations regarding attorney conduct and fully complied with those obligations, and I take those obligations extremely seriously. Any further action with other authorities rests with them, and it would not be proper for me to comment on that, as it rests with them.”

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey Clark and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

The El Dorado Springs Sun will continue to monitor future filings, including sentencing proceedings, to keep readers informed.