NYC judge sentences scammer who tried to shake down ex-Rep. George Santos

A Brooklyn justice chopped a Texas scammer a break, giving the antheral 18 months for trying to defraud George Santos — and blasted the erstwhile congressman’s “cowardice” for not showing up successful idiosyncratic connected Wednesday to springiness a unfortunate statement.

Hector Medina, 37, reached retired to Santos successful the summertime of 2023, describing himself arsenic a fixer who could marque his transgression troubles disappear for $900,000. Medina made a akin connection to “That ’70s Show” prima Danny Masterson, who was convicted of raping 2 women and sentenced to 30 years to beingness successful Los Angeles.

Former United States Representative George Santos successful 2024. (Theodore Parisienne for New York Daily News)

Medina ne'er got a substance backmost from immoderate of his targets. But Santos reached retired to authorities, starring to the El Paso man’s apprehension connected national ligament fraud charges.

Santos, who was successful the courtroom successful September erstwhile Medina entered a blameworthy plea, was a no-show astatine the sentencing, though helium wrote a one-page missive to Brooklyn Federal Court Judge Nicholas Garaufis.

The disgraced ex-congressman wrote that helium took Medina’s messages earnestly due to the fact that helium thought they could beryllium existent based connected the “disgusting weaponization of our Department of Justice,” but punted connected whether Medina should get leniency and deferred to the judge’s “vast wisdom.”

Garaufis sighed and scoffed astatine the missive aft speechmaking it.

Jesse Ward/for New York Daily News

Federal justice Nicholas Garaufis (Jesse Ward/for New York Daily News)

“I find this missive astounding and not wholly adjuvant to the tribunal and, I don’t deliberation I would condemnation anyone based connected thing Mr. Santos has to say, adjacent if helium was the victim,” helium said. “So that takes attraction of Mr. Santos.”

The justice besides called the missive “ironic” fixed Santos’ ain blameworthy plea to fraud and aggravated individuality theft, and chided the lying erstwhile lawmaker for not showing up Wednesday. “It’s a objection of cowardice, it’s a objection of the deficiency of character, and he’s speaking retired of some sides of his mouth.”

Santos — who famously lied astir about each facet of his beingness and resume portion moving for bureau successful 2022 — pleaded blameworthy successful August, 3 weeks earlier helium was acceptable to spell to proceedings for a drawstring of brazen scams, including repeatedly charging his run donors’ recognition cards without their support and utilizing donor wealth to bargain decorator clothes. He’s slated to sentenced successful Long Island Federal Court successful April.

On Wednesday, Medina pleaded for leniency, with his lawyer, Joseph Veith, arguing that his lawsuit returned to his aged habits of fraud connected 2023 aft 7 years staying retired of occupation due to the fact that of his gambling addiction and intelligence illness.

Veith besides pointed retired that his shakedown strategy was ne'er going to beryllium successful, since his targets — which besides included a instrumentalist who was arrested and an athlete’s comparative who was busted — had entree to money, powerfulness and lawyers.

“They’re victims, period, but they’re not susceptible victims. … They’re not individuals that would person been duped,” helium said. “Not 1 idiosyncratic adjacent bothered to respond to a substance message.”

Medina, who was fixed probation for theft and fraud-related convictions successful Texas successful 2016, 2023 and 2024, told the justice he’s taken factual steps to question assistance for his gambling addiction and intelligence health, and pleaded for forgiveness. He’s presently moving astatine the El Paso morgue, and he’s a devoted dada to his young girl and the lad of his ex-girlfriend, his lawyer said.

“I’m not the aforesaid idiosyncratic that I was erstwhile these events occurred,” helium said, arsenic his parent and sister watched. “I ne'er privation to find myself successful this presumption again.”

Medina faced the anticipation of 37 to 46 months down bars based connected national sentencing guidelines. Instead, the justice sentenced him to 18 months, followed by 3 years of supervised release, with his condemnation starting connected May 29.

Garaufis praised the steps Medina had taken arsenic a “positive development,” but said helium inactive needed to service immoderate clip “to marque definite the constituent is received.”

“I deliberation you recognize that determination can’t beryllium a adjacent time,” Garaufis said.