Exclusive: Central Florida defense attorney Hal Uhrig arrested, speaks only to FOX 35

Hal Uhrig is charged with solicitation to commit perjury and tampering with a witness or victim.

KISSIMMEE, Fla. - Defense attorney Harold Uhrig, also known as Hal Uhrig, was released from jail just before 7 p.m. on Monday.

He said he was on his way to court Monday morning when deputies arrested him.

"I showed up for a hearing this morning and before I could get to the elevator this morning, I was arrested.

We asked, "What was going through your mind?" He said, "An awful lot of chaos."

Uhrig is charged with solicitation to commit perjury and tampering with a witness or victim.

"I’m a little surprised. This has been an interesting case. I didn’t see this coming," Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez says it stems from a rape case involving a 9-year-old girl who’s much older now.

Lopez says Uhrig was representing the suspect in the case and tried to get the victim and her father to make a statement which would allow the suspect to go free.

"Basically, a letter to the state attorney saying the rape didn’t happen. Avoid being served with a subpoena so you don’t have to go to court to testify. Lie during your deposition and say the rape didn't happen," Sheriff Lopez said.

Uhrig says it never happened, "We’re just going to go back to the boards like we always do. Sort out what happened. I’m not guilty of this."

Sheriff Lopez says they put a wire on the dad when he met with Uhrig.

"He wore a recording device, the victim’s father. During a meeting the attorney made him turn off his cellphone and told the father to read a script off his computer screen," Sheriff Lopez said.

Uhrig says, "Didn’t happen. Be happy to hear the recording."

We asked Uhrig, 75, about other cases he’s fighting in court.

"How do you deal with this?" FOX 35 Reporter Valerie Boey asked.

"I’ve gotta check with the Florida Bar. I’ve got a partner and so the firm won’t miss a lick. Everyone’s going to be taken care of," Uhrig said.

We asked, "Is there anything else you can say regarding the charges against you?"

He said, "I’m not guilty of them if that helps."

We asked if he was going to fight the charges. He replied, "Absolutely."

Sheriff Lopez says no one is above the law.

Uhrig understands the sheriff is just doing his job but says he got bad information.