‘House Arrest’ star is rebuked
A federal judge in New York on Thursday gave a harsh review of the television antics of the son of a former organized crime boss as she sentenced him to a year and a day in prison, saying he earned his prison time with a big blunder: acting work that disrespected the court system.
U.S. District Judge Naomi Reice Buchwald told Christopher Colombo, son of the late Joe Colombo, that she was not entertained by his appearances on the HBO show “House Arrest,” on which he was seen cavorting with topless dancers, visiting posh restaurants and trying to break into a church while he was awaiting trial.
“To not give Mr. Colombo a prison sentence would basically give him the opportunity to make a mockery of the system because his future employment seems to be ‘House Arrest’ all over again,” she said, referring to the 2005 show. “I do think his show, ‘House Arrest,’ was disrespectful to the court system and was one of the largest mistakes a defendant has ever made. That show did not show you to be father of the year.”
Colombo, who is in his mid-40s, was convicted a year ago of gambling conspiracy and operation of an illegal gambling business.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
