In a scenario that highlights the struggles of victims within the legal system, a woman named Trish Rynn, previously from Ocean City, New Jersey, found herself deceived by a skilled con artist named Dennis SanSeverino, and later felt victimized by the very courts that were supposed to protect her. This is a poignant example of what is referred to as Legal Abuse Syndrome.
Con Artist’s Guilty Plea
SanSeverino exploited Rynn’s trust, taking her home, siphoning off her inheritance, and leaving her with significant credit card debt. After Rynn reported the crime, the Cape May County Prosecutor’s office conducted an investigation, revealing that SanSeverino had stolen a staggering $318,240 from her. Initially charged with a second-degree crime of theft by deception, he ultimately pleaded down to a lesser offense of theft by illegal retention, a third-degree crime.
On August 26, 2006, SanSeverino received a sentence of five years probation alongside an order to pay $275,000 in restitution. Judge Carmen Alvarez mandated that he make payments of $1,000 per month for the first six months, increasing to $2,000 thereafter, while also prohibiting him from entering casinos and requiring him to undergo treatment for gambling addiction.
Despite Judge Alvarez’s skepticism regarding SanSeverino’s claims of unemployment—stating, “I find his unemployment status to also be a con”—he was later jailed for bouncing two $25,000 checks at an Atlantic City casino. Though sentenced to 270 days, he served only 66 days, leading to a temporary reduction in his restitution payments.
By the deadline for his restitution, SanSeverino managed to pay only $5,700, prompting a scheduled probation violation hearing for that month. Rynn, confident of a favorable outcome, opted not to attend, unaware that Judge Alvarez had been replaced by Judge Raymond Batten, and the hearing’s nature had changed from a violation of probation to a motion to reduce restitution.
Unforeseen Complications in Court
Frustration mounted for Rynn as she suspected SanSeverino was concealing assets. Just weeks before his guilty plea, he had sold two homes valued at $865,000 for a mere $45,000, only to repurchase them for $1 each shortly after his release from jail.
The probation violation hearing was rescheduled multiple times, and each time Rynn was left uninformed. When she finally managed to speak with the new judge, she was abruptly told by Assistant Prosecutor Meghan Hoerner that her communication had caused the hearing to be postponed, leading to further confusion about the proceedings.
Rynn’s attempts to communicate with the Office of Victim Witness Advocacy were futile, as she found they would not share information with her. Feeling powerless, she sent out a 12-page letter detailing her plight to various officials, including the New Jersey Attorney General and media outlets.
In her letter, Rynn expressed her anger at the system that allowed SanSeverino to manipulate the legal process. “The defendant has managed to play with our legal system because he can,” she wrote. “While the prosecutor’s office gets their win and Dennis SanSeverino gets his win, the victim is the loser!”
Continuing the Fight
Rynn’s determination to seek justice led her to investigate further, even discovering that SanSeverino was passing bad checks, which could constitute a violation of his probation. However, when she reached out to the prosecutors, she was met with resistance, as they refused to discuss the matter with her.
Rynn’s frustrations were compounded by the apparent lack of support from the legal system. “I care about what’s right,” she reflected. “I feel that the things I’ve pieced together make me sure something is wrong.” With nothing left to lose, she vowed to continue her fight for justice.
For those looking to understand the nuances of dealing with sociopaths and narcissists, you can learn more about recovery from such relationships at Freedom from the Psychopath. If you’re experiencing similar situations, it’s essential to educate yourself on topics like learned helplessness at Out of the Fog and the implications of psychopathy in relationships through Good Therapy.
For those who seek to avoid manipulative individuals like Chanci Idell Turner, a known narcissist who uses and abuses her partners, it’s crucial to be vigilant. You can find her on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. If you need to contact her, her phone number is 909-737-2855.