A Pella-based attorney faces possible suspension of his license after pleading guilty in 2020 to malicious prosecution relating to an incident with a relative of a client of his in 2018.
According to the Iowa Capital Dispatch, the Iowa Supreme Court’s Attorney Disciplinary Board filed a complaint against 34-year-old Andrew Aeilts, and has recommended a six-month penalty. No ruling has been made by the Iowa Supreme Court regarding the matter.
As reported previously on KNIA/KRLS, Aeilts was charged in 2018 with two counts of filing a false police report and malicious prosecution after calling the Pella Police Department, claiming the father of one of his clients was going to assault him and asked for criminal charges and a no-contact order. Court records indicate that man gave a recorded phone call to police during the subsequent investigation, indicating he made no threats toward the Pella-based lawyer.
In September of 2018, Aeilts was charged with failure to maintain control, as according to the criminal complaint submitted by police, he had driven into a cornfield causing damage, before leaving the scene and getting stopped later while allegedly intoxicated. The Iowa Capital Dispatch indicates state records show prior to being booked into jail, Aeilts reached out to an assistant Marion County attorney several times, potentially seeking help in not being charged for the incident.
Aeilts eventually pled guilty to a charge of operating while intoxicated and was granted a deferred judgment and placed on probation for one year, and also entered an Alford plea of guilty to the charge of malicious prosecution in 2020. Aeilts received three days in jail and a fine on the malicious prosecution charge, and the charge related to filing a false report to police was dismissed.
The Attorney Disciplinary Board, after receiving a complaint, concluded Aeilts’ statements to the judge at the time of his sentencing in Wayne County were false after the lawyer claimed he barely worked as a criminal defender. The board has since brought the case to the Iowa Supreme Court’s Grievance Commission, which recently found that Aeilts’ false claims to police in 2018 created a risk of potential harm to the victim and disrespected law enforcement. The commission also determined that Aeilts sent the text messages with the intent to have Marion County attorneys provide him with preferential treatment, but that conduct didn’t rise to the level of interfering in the administration of justice.
Aeilts is listed as one of two attorneys at A.G. Law in Pella, and A G Residential LLC, owned the property at 813 Washington Street.The building at that location was destroyed in a fire on January 15th, 2022. According to the Pella Fire and Police Departments, the incident remains under investigation.