SAN ANTONIO – In the spring of 2007, Ted Roberts and his wife Mary, both attorneys, were convicted in a sex scheme in which they squeezed over $150,000 thousand dollars from four San Antonio men.
According to 2007 trial testimony, Mary Roberts would have intimate affairs with the men. Then, the couple would threaten to sue them and expose the affairs unless they contributed to a charity of Roberts’ choice.
There was no charity and the couple would pocket the money, testimony showed. Ted Roberts was convicted of three counts of theft by deception and coercion.
Roberts served six months of a five-year sentence before he was granted shock probation. His wife, convicted of five counts of theft by deception, was sentenced to 10 years probation after being found guilty
On Tuesday, during a hearing before District Judge Velia Meza, Roberts asked to be granted judicial clemency. He still insisted that there were no threats.
”There was no evidence that I might have threatened a person,” Roberts testified. “All lawsuits are threatening, I mean if you don’t pay the money, I will fight.” He added, “I can’t imagine that being a crime.”
Meza took Roberts’ request under advisement and said she would issue a ruling before July 17.
Granting judicial clemency would restore Roberts’ civil rights even though he remains a convicted felon.