Criminal Justice
Casanova Con Artist Cuts Prison Time by 27 Years with Help of Law Firm Malpractice Settlement
A confidential malpractice settlement with an unidentified law firm reportedly has helped a con man jailed for wooing women and investors reduce his sentence by 27 years.
A New Mexico judge agreed yesterday to cut Michael Soutar’s sentence to seven years from 34 years after he said he could now make restitution of some $200,000 to his victims, KRQE reports.
“I think seven years is sufficient time to have gotten your attention,” said Santa Fe District Judge Michael Vigil.
The judge also said Soutar’s need for expensive prostate cancer treatment swayed him in favor of early release, so taxpayers wouldn’t have to foot his medical bill.
Soutar hopes to join his fiance in Connecticut.
