DAYTON, Ohio -- A Dayton attorney has pleaded guilty to three charges of theft and one count of grand theft. Prosecutors said the victims were his clients.

Charles Bursey II was sentenced to five years of community control. He must also pay back about $17,000 in restitution.

A Montgomery County grand jury indicted Bursey in December 2008 in connection with thefts from four clients.

"He did practice in the criminal law arena, which made this case a little more shocking to us," said assistant prosecutor Kim Melnick.

Melnick said Bursey took money from a client in the middle of a divorce, one with an accident settlement and also from a trust fund he was overseeing.

"He will have to pay everyone back and hopefully stay out of trouble," Melnick said. "We're glad that he accepted responsibility for what he did and entered his pleas."

Bursey did not make any statements in court and did not respond when asked for a comment by News Center 7.

Before sentencing, a visiting judge told Bursey, "As one lawyer to another, I'm terribly, terribly dismayed that this happened. I don't like to see it happen to anybody, and I certainly don't like to see that happen to anyone in my profession."

Bursey must also write a letter of apology to each client whose money he took.

It will be up to the Ohio Supreme Court whether Bursey will be able to practice law in the future.