What seemed like a budding online romance was actually a money-grabbing scheme.
The Erie man behind it is now heading to prison.
On Monday, Henry Corder Jr., 68, was sentenced to two years and 10 months in federal prison, along with a two-year term of supervised release, after scamming $500,000 from a Massachusetts woman he met on an online dating site.
U.S. District Judge David Cercone, who imposed the sentence in federal court in Erie, ordered Corder to pay restitution to the victim.
An exact amount will be determined in a separate order, Cercone said.
The sentence was below the federal sentencing guidelines of three years and 10 months to four years and nine months. Cercone cited the defendant's ailing health as a mitigating factor.
Corder is confined to a wheelchair and requires 24-hour care, said his attorney Stephen Sebald. He also suffers from a number of conditions, including Type 2 diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, sleep apnea and glaucoma, according to Sebald's sentencing memorandum.
Cercone, however, said the defendant's ailments could still be managed by the federal Bureau of Prisons and that his punishment must be a deterrent to others.
"This was a crime that continued over a period of time, it wasn't one isolated incident," Cercone said. "It was a crime that involved a lot of money — not $500 or $5,000 but over $500,000. The court needs to propose a sentence that deters others from engaging in similar conduct."
Corder's scheme:Bad date: Erie...
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