U.S. Attorney Dunn Lampton said a federal investigationculminated in a McComb attorney’s guilty plea to bank fraudconspiracy charges Thursday.

Dwayne G. Deer of McComb pleaded guilty to submitting falsetitle opinions and other information so a co-conspirator couldfraudulently acquire funding for real estate development throughoutthe state. Deer enabled his co-conspirator, James Todd Phillips,who owned Statewide Realty Holdings, LLC, and Todd PhillipsInvestments, Inc. to receive over $14.5 million from over 20 banksacross the state.

Deer is scheduled to be sentenced on January 9 before U.S.District Judge Tom S. Lee. Phillips also pleaded guilty and isscheduled to appear before Lee for sentencing on November 14.