Citron Ties Downfall to Mental Problems : Bankruptcy: Ex-Orange County treasurer makes claim in court motion seeking probation-only sentence.

Maintaining that he suffered from “dementia” for four years before his bad investments pushed Orange County into bankruptcy, former Treasurer Robert L. Citron demanded access Monday to any evidence gathered by county prosecutors that might persuade a judge to sentence him to probation.

The surprising assertion, contained in an 11-page motion to Orange County Superior Court, marked the first time Citron has claimed diminished mental capacity during the time he was pursuing the flawed investment strategy that cost participants in the county-run investment pool a staggering $1.7 billion in losses.

Citron, 70, faces up to 14 years in prison and $10 million in fines after his April guilty plea to six felony counts of securities fraud and misappropriation of funds stemming from his role in the county’s financial collapse.

In papers filed in Judge David O. Carter’s court, the former treasurer cited his mental impairment as one of four mitigating factors that should be considered when Citron comes up for sentencing Dec. 29.

According to the papers, the other factors are:

* “County representatives and outsiders who were far more sophisticated and knowledgeable about matters concerning securities and accounting” also should share the blame for the investment debacle.

* Citron was misled by financial and legal experts he relied on.

* The former treasurer has a history of “lawabidingness.”

David W. Wiechert, the attorney who filed the motion on behalf of Citron, could not be reached for further comment. Citron has avoided making any public statements for almost a year.

In a court hearing last month, Wiechert said his client was “in a state of decline” during the months leading up to the county’s Dec. 6 bankruptcy filing, the worst municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history.

As part of his plea agreement, Citron was obligated to cooperate with ongoing local and federal investigations.