The Minnesota Supreme Court on Friday signed an order that disbarred once-prominent local attorney Aaron Biber, who was recently sentenced to 18 years in prison for raping a 15-year-old boy.

On November 20, Biber-who used to work at Minneapolis law firm Gray Plant Mooty-agreed to be disbarred. The Supreme Court's Lawyers Professional Responsibility Board then submitted a petition for public discipline to that effect, and the order was signed Friday.

In its order, the Supreme Court said that Biber's actions constituted a violation of a specific rule within the lawyers' code of conduct-namely it's “a criminal act that reflects adversely on the lawyer's honesty, trustworthiness, or fitness as a lawyer.”

Biber, 47, pleaded guilty in July to one of two felony counts that he faced-first-degree criminal sexual assault for sex with a minor over whom he had authority. The second count-solicitation of a child to engage in sexual conduct-was dismissed.

In December, police arrested Biber, who was then treasurer of the Minnesota State Bar Association. According to the criminal complaint filed in Hennepin County District Court around that same time, Biber served alcohol to a 15-year-old boy at his Shorewood home in early October and then anally raped and sodomized him. Within the couple of months after the incident, Biber allegedly sent the boy graphic images and text messages.

In December, the victim and his parents agreed to help police catch Biber by allowing them to monitor text messages and telephone calls between the boy and Biber. The two had arranged to meet at an Eden Prairie mall on a Friday-and that's where police made the arrest.

In October, Hennepin County District Court Judge Lloyd Zimmerman handed down Biber's 18-year sentence-not as severe as the maximum 24 years sought by prosecutors, but more than the state guidelines of 12 to 14 years. Biber must serve at least 12 years of the sentence in prison. Should he be released at that time, he would face another 10 years of probation.

Biber is a former president of the Hennepin County Bar Association. He was in line to become president of the Minnesota State Bar Association next July.