from www.kyw1060.com – A Philadelphia man who indulged his foot fetish during a series of vicious gunpoint robberies in the city has been sentenced to what amounts to life in prison.
Richard Casey, 50 (pictured), has been sentenced to at least 57 years in prison for a series of six attacks in late 2006 and early 2007 in which victims were robbed at gunpoint. Some were threatened with death if they did not cooperate, and they were sexually assaulted (see previous stories).
One victim was beaten on the head and viciously assaulted sexually, suffering some permanent injuries.
Prosecutor Mark Cipoletti says Casey inflicted torture on his victims:
“What this man did, he just violated them — not only as individuals on the street by taking money from them, he violated their bodies. He violated them in the worst way anyone could.”
One tearful victim told the court she never felt so alone and so afraid in her life, and she asked the judge to take Casey off the streets forever.
And Judge Joan Brown, calling the crimes horrendous and despicable, responded by has sentencing Casey to 57 to 114 years in prison.
Earlier story, November, 2008:A 49-year-old West Philadelphia man with a foot fetish has been ordered held for trial in connection with a series of vicious, armed sexual attacks in the city two years ago.
Police believe that Richard Casey (above) is Philadelphia’s “foot fetish” assailant (see previous story).
The victims say they were approached at gunpoint, robbed, and sexually assaulted. The attacker, who threatened to kill victims if they screamed or resisted, showed a specific interest in their feet. One victim was sexually assaulted with the gun and may have suffered permanent injuries. That woman broke down on the witness stand, shaking violently, unable even to lift her head or look up at prosecutor Michael Stackow:
“Her visible reaction was difficult to even watch, and gut wrenching. There is no other way to describe it.”
And Stackow praised the courage of the women for coming forward to testify.
The judge called the evidence — including DNA — “overwhelming,” and more than doubled Casey’s bail to $4 million.