PHILADELPHIA (PA)
CBS Philly
By Tony Hanson
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Federal authorities are seeking a sentence of up to 30 years in prison for an admitted con man who targeted nuns, priests and others in a so-called advance fee scam with devastating personal results. But with sentencing set for Thursday morning, the defense is seeking leniency and blaming clergy sex abuse for the defendant’s conduct.
Federal prosecutor Karen Klotz is arguing for the long sentence, well above federal guidelines, because the ruthless crimes committed by defendant Adriano Sotomayor cost some victims all their savings. One victim committed suicide and another attempted suicide.
Klotz says Sotomayor is a repeat offender and this scheme started with an elderly nun in Puerto Rico who was told to send “fees” to collect on an inheritance.
But in its own pre-trial memo, the defense says the defendant was sexually assaulted by members of the Catholic clergy at age 13 and that has resulted in Sotomayor lashing out at his attackers through the proxies of the Catholic clergy and parishioners defrauded in this case.
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