Atheist protests prayer at public meeting -- State responds by raiding her home, charging her with blatant non-crime

LAKELAND | The legal coordinator for the Atheists of Florida was arrested Thursday on charges that she illegally posed as a licensed lawyer, according to the State Attorney's Office. [...]

A complaint affidavit from the State Attorney's Office says an investigation into allegations against Wachs began Tuesday. It says Wachs formerly practiced law in Pennsylvania, but she retired from that state's bar in about 1997.

Wachs is not a member of the Florida Bar.

Wachs is facing a third-degree felony, punishable by up to five years in prison.

The charge of "unauthorized practice of law" includes when people hold themselves out to the public as qualified to practice law or using "a name, title, addition or description" to imply such a qualification.

The State Attorney's Office says Wachs signed multiple letters to the Polk County Sheriff's Office using the title "Esq.," which is typically used by lawyers, the affidavit states. [...]

Kieffer said Wachs is not the group's lawyer and denied she had worked for the group in that capacity.

"She's trained as an attorney, went to school. But she doesn't practice here," he said.

"She is not paid a penny; we're all volunteers. She's not practicing any more than I'm practicing law."