Trial comes to a halt when defense attorney is arrested

Attorney Deron Kartoon Attorney Deron Kartoon Photo: San Mateo Co. Sheriff Photo: San Mateo Co. Sheriff Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Trial comes to a halt when defense attorney is arrested 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

The trial of a man accused of fraudulently buying more than 150 iPads came to an abrupt halt in Redwood City this week when the judge learned the defense attorney’s law license was inactive — and that the lawyer had a warrant out for his arrest on drug and theft charges, prosecutors said.

After the unusual twist on Tuesday, both Jesus Binay Morales, 38, and his attorney, Deron Kartoon, a 48-year-old Ross resident, were in custody at San Mateo County Jail. Morales remained jailed Thursday in lieu of $500,000 bail and has been assigned a new lawyer.

Kartoon, meanwhile, posted $15,000 bail. He acknowledged Thursday that he is facing methamphetamine, identity theft and numerous other charges in both San Mateo and Marin counties.

While he said his drug issues “are being handled,” he denied committing any crimes. “I expect to be exonerated fully on everything,” he said.

Kartoon said future clients shouldn’t shy away from him. “No, absolutely I think I’m competent, and when I get my head screwed on, I don’t think there’s another attorney that can outwork me,” he said. “There’s going to be smarter lawyers out there, but no one’s going to work harder than I will.”

Morales had been to set to go to trial this week on charges that he used 24 people’s financial information to buy more than 167 iPads at Verizon stores or kiosks in Burlingame, San Bruno and South San Francisco, causing a loss of more than $146,000.

But prosecutors, while trying to contact Kartoon, learned from the California State Bar website that the attorney was on inactive status, meaning he was ineligible to practice law, said Chief Deputy District Attorney Karen Guidotti. When Kartoon last appeared in Morales’ case, his license was active, Guidotti said.

Kartoon said he had voluntarily placed himself on inactive status earlier this month and went to court on Tuesday not as Morales’ lawyer, but only as a “witness” to ensure that he got another attorney.

Authorities also learned that Kartoon had a bench warrant for his arrest in San Mateo County, stemming from his failure to appear in court May 11 on misdemeanor charges of commercial burglary, fraudulent use of a credit card, attempted grand theft and possession of a methamphetamine pipe.

That case stemmed from his arrest last year when he tried to get a cash advance with a fraudulent card at the Lucky Chances casino in Colma, and more fraudulent cards were found in his possession, prosecutors said.

Kartoon’s failure to appear came a week after he and his girlfriend, Lindsey Kaila Tredway, 31, were arrested by Ross police in a forgery and identity theft investigation, authorities said.

Charges against Kartoon are also pending in Marin County for a series of 2013 arrests, in which authorities said they found methamphetamine in his home and during a traffic stop for speeding. He is also facing charges of using a stolen credit card at a Chevron gas station in Greenbrae.

In an affidavit for a search warrant for Kartoon’s home on Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, Marin County sheriff’s Deputy Ron Fode wrote, “I believe that Deron Kartoon is actively involved in identity theft and the manufacture of fraudulent credit cards.”

A man arrested as part of a credit card fraud case, Fode said, had a string of texts on his phone with a contact identified as “attorney at law” — which authorities said is Kartoon — and described the attorney’s home as “the center or ‘hub’ of fraudulent activity.”

Kartoon has been suspended numerous times by the State Bar for failing to pay his membership fees and has admitted to a drug abuse problem, records show. The attorney has also appeared in court on behalf of other clients while under suspension, authorities said.

Citing these issues, a State Bar judge ruled in December that Kartoon should be suspended from practicing law for a month and be placed on probation for three years, so long as he attends ethics school, abstains from alcohol and drug use, and attends a drug abuse recovery program.

Henry K. Lee is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: hlee@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @henryklee