Author of Poison Pen Letters Gets 37-Month Prison Term

Calling the case pathetic but serious, a federal judge Monday sentenced an unemployed Ocean Beach man to 37 months in prison for sending threatening and racist letters to a San Diego television station, a civil rights activist and an attorney.

At a sentencing hearing, Mark George Somes was described by his lawyer as an alcoholic recluse who interacted almost exclusively with his elderly parents and with call-in talk show hosts. Mario Conte, a federal defender, said that, although Somes is a follower of white supremacist Tom Metzger, he is not “possessed of racism.”

Assistant U.S. Atty. Larry Burns countered that Somes was not convicted for his beliefs, but for his actions.

“He crossed the line,” Burns said. “People who perpetrate that kind of hate-mongering really create divisions in this society.”

In March, Somes was convicted on three hate-mail counts for letters he sent to television station KNSD (Channel 39), to Morris Dees, a leading civil rights attorney who filed suit against Metzger, and to Roberto Martinez, a San Diego community leader and Latino rights activist.

In the letter to KNSD, Somes claimed responsibility for the Sept. 15, 1990, pipe-bombing of the downtown San Diego Federal Courthouse. He has since been ruled out as a suspect in that bombing.

Somes, 44, was apologetic Monday when he addressed Judge John S. Rhoades.

“Your honor, I’m very sorry to have done this,” he said.

Rhoades read aloud from Somes’ letters before he pronounced his sentence.

“Nobody messes with white power,” read the letter to Dees, which demanded that he drop the suit against Metzger. “We don’t want to have to do anything to you, Morris. . . . Now is the time to back off.”

Rhoades said he felt sorry for Somes living “holed up in one room, drinking.”

Rhoades sentenced Somes to 37 months in prison on each count, to be served concurrently. Rhoades also sentenced Somes to three years probation after his release, and the judge placed some special restrictions upon that period: he may not contact Dees, Martinez or Metzger and may not drink alcohol.