tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9615048.post8221702204905724972..comments2024-03-28T22:42:40.503-04:00Comments on Southern District of Florida Blog: Is 23 years an appropriate sentence for a business opporunity fraud case?David Oscar Markushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18386723948607633980noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9615048.post-87081445274721033872021-08-12T16:44:30.534-04:002021-08-12T16:44:30.534-04:00The sentence is way too harsh. Did he deserve time...The sentence is way too harsh. Did he deserve time? Yes...but maybe 3-5 years would have been sufficient. These kinds of sentences are killing America...a land of grace, freedom and second chances. Very sad. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9615048.post-68571680872437934942019-07-23T11:15:47.732-04:002019-07-23T11:15:47.732-04:00Rusty always was a thieving POS! Good riddance! ...Rusty always was a thieving POS! Good riddance! He should get more than 23 years. Total scumbag!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9615048.post-33791074990115556452018-04-25T10:55:47.633-04:002018-04-25T10:55:47.633-04:00He was a worthless POS. His father taught him how ...He was a worthless POS. His father taught him how to be a scamming thief. His father had a rental property on Yarker Ave, in Rochester,NY. Every tenant who has ever rented from him has either lost their security deposit or has had to take him to court to have their deposit returned. Absolute pieces of !@#$.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9615048.post-89323757465587986802016-09-12T22:45:52.379-04:002016-09-12T22:45:52.379-04:00I grew up with him as well. Jimmy was a pothead, t...I grew up with him as well. Jimmy was a pothead, the other one gay, and Rusty was a small time pot dealer, part time tbief. I guess he never got his act straight. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9615048.post-22191531939185213782016-07-09T11:52:34.377-04:002016-07-09T11:52:34.377-04:00He did deserve to be punished but this amount of t...He did deserve to be punished but this amount of time is literally DRACONIAN. Judge Martinez was swayed by the testimony of the defendants at the trial which Russell was not present at. All the attorneys advised their clients (all of which had previous criminal convictions including child support dereliction, spousal abuse, and drug charges) to put blame on Russell for everything. Not being there to defend himself caused Judge Martinez to have extreme bias when Russell was finally brought before him for sentencing. Prosecutor Patrick Jaspers had an agenda to advance his career and his recommendation was ridiculous and personally fueled. The machines that Judge Martinez called 'worthless' are now called Red Box and the company is now worth billions. 23 years? Really? Murderers, rapists, and child abusers routinely receive less time........come on! <br /><br />Ever ask yourself why the US has 5% of the worlds population but 25% of the worlds prisoners? We have turned Prison and Incarceration into a money making industry that supports 100's of thousands of families. Why do we routinely put Doctors, Lawyers, and Dentists behind bars for years when they could be doing community service in our over stressed health care system like everywhere else in the world?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9615048.post-81322813950541689642015-03-23T14:38:58.826-04:002015-03-23T14:38:58.826-04:00he was a fraud who would con his own mother he has...he was a fraud who would con his own mother he has all assets in family name<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9615048.post-92028773933163084592012-05-24T20:37:16.304-04:002012-05-24T20:37:16.304-04:00I know people that have committed armed robbery an...I know people that have committed armed robbery and only get sentenced 2 or 3 years. For robbing somebody at gunpoint. Yes, it was a scam, but he didn't force you to give him all your money. You handed over the money willingly because you thought it was a golden opportunity. You are greedy just like him. You know what they say, "If it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9615048.post-42529921066922703572012-04-11T20:18:33.637-04:002012-04-11T20:18:33.637-04:00Those of you posting that the sentence is harsh se...Those of you posting that the sentence is harsh seem to have overlooked his past. This was not his first crime just his last in a long history of defrauding people. I remember 20 years ago he would write bad checks and buy video game systems from Toys R Us and sell them for cash to local video game stores in Rochester NY. He even had the audacity to remove the systems from the packaging and replace them with phone books. This was a long time coming.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9615048.post-21623136788495654042011-10-20T19:16:27.379-04:002011-10-20T19:16:27.379-04:00To the person who wrote about repayment, he can ne...To the person who wrote about repayment, he can never repay it now. Maybe the punishment should be repayment options and not 23 years in jail where he will never be able to repay anyone...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9615048.post-90500459869389037042011-09-07T04:08:04.378-04:002011-09-07T04:08:04.378-04:00I grew up with him too..This is all very shocking ...I grew up with him too..This is all very shocking and sad.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9615048.post-70649205027056500922010-05-26T13:54:21.504-04:002010-05-26T13:54:21.504-04:00If he would have paid me back my $38,000 for his s...If he would have paid me back my $38,000 for his scam. I think the judge should be more lenient. But if he can’t pay it back it’s on him. I will never recover from this without repayment, why should he.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9615048.post-58794640427499550562010-02-01T11:25:44.948-05:002010-02-01T11:25:44.948-05:00I believe this is a extremely harsh punishment. He...I believe this is a extremely harsh punishment. He does not deserve to lose his whole life over this.Twenty thee years should be reserved for much harsher crimes I dated him a long time ago and he was not a bad guy. I guess he just got greedy and let that get to his head. Its very sad. I am sure he learned his lesson. That punishemnt is excessiveAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9615048.post-32356566012473173072009-08-27T09:16:27.601-04:002009-08-27T09:16:27.601-04:00I agree that there is a difference between violent...I agree that there is a difference between violent crimes and fraud. However, there should be harsh penalties for fraud. Especially since he did this before in the past. Maybe if the past judge was more harsh on him, he would not have gone back and frauded people again. Is this any different then Maddoff, except the people affected by this aren't multi millionairs which most of the Madoff victoms are, these people are just plain old simple middle class folk.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9615048.post-3558725677901316382009-04-06T08:40:00.000-04:002009-04-06T08:40:00.000-04:0023 years should be reserved for violent crimes. I...23 years should be reserved for violent crimes. I understand people lost money, but he is not a violent offender hence not a threat to society. People who invested in this hold some responsibility. No-one should take life saving or money they need for important purposes and take any risk. There is no sure thing.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9615048.post-65410906883718600642008-08-01T14:24:00.000-04:002008-08-01T14:24:00.000-04:00I grew up with him and his brother in Roch NY- he ...I grew up with him and his brother in Roch NY- he was my best childhood friend. How terribly sad for everyoneAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9615048.post-35431656574427405882008-05-18T21:33:00.000-04:002008-05-18T21:33:00.000-04:00638 you are a retard. judge cooke is very rough on...638 you are a retard. judge cooke is very rough on fraud defendants.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9615048.post-57592460616903099892008-05-17T18:38:00.000-04:002008-05-17T18:38:00.000-04:00Well, let's see, Judge Cooke would have given him ...Well, let's see, Judge Cooke would have given him time served......Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com