Image via WikipediaLOS ANGELES – A Westside attorney convicted in November of trying to arrange sex with someone he believed was a 13-year-old girl was sentenced today to more than nine years in state prison, the District Attorney’s office announced.Deputy District Attorney Susan Schwartz with the Justice System Integrity Division said David A. Cohn, 52, was sentenced by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Curtis Rappe. Cohn also was ordered to pay $20,000 in fines and to register for life as a sex offender.
A jury in November convicted the Woodland Hills resident of 11 felony counts, including four counts of attempted lewd act upon a child, five counts of attempting to send harmful matter to a child with the intent of seduction, one count of arranging to contact a minor with intent to commit a sexual offense and one count of possessing child pornography. He also was convicted of one misdemeanor count of attempting to contact a minor with intent to commit a sexual offense.
Cohn, who was suspended by the state Bar in March, worked at a West Hollywood area law firm.
The bulk of the crimes occurred between July 17 and July 31, 2007, when the defendant exchanged messages on the Internet. Although he thought the person with whom he was chatting was 13, authorities said, it actually was an FBI agent who is part of the Sexual Assault Felony Enforcement (SAFE) Team.
