Mo. lawyer sentenced to federal prison for defrauding bank

KANSAS CITY — A northwest Missouri lawyer will spend four years and two months in federal prison for defrauding a bank of nearly $867,000.

Dawn Renee Harpster must also pay back the full amount she received as loans from North Kansas City's Norbank. The 38-year-old attorney from Kidder had pleaded guilty last year.

Harpster formerly had a title company in Daviess County. In 2006, she falsely told Norbank she had contracts to sell property there to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Daviess County is important in the history of the church, which is also known as the Mormon church.

Harpster used phony paperwork to convince Norbank to give her five loans totaling nearly $867,000 to help carry out the nonexistent land sales.

Harpster will not be eligible for parole under the sentence she received Monday.