Seems like an awful long time for some penny ante cons. Most people get way less time for much more serious crimes. I can't believe that sentence.

this guy got what he deserved now its time to pay the fiddler

I agree, it seems like a pretty harsh sentence considering that more serious crimes are getting away with much less time.

If you woukd reread the article, he is a repeat offender, so he gets a stiffer sentence, as it should be, under the habitual offender statute.

This sentence would not have been this severe if the Journal did not report on it as much. Drunk drivers who kill people get less time in jail. Something is wrong here!!

Someone should write a book about this story, it's novel worthy. I know he has do the time for the crime, but he is most certainly my favorite criminal. Good luck, John Jr.

SO what it is still a harsh sentence, we should be worried about bigger crimes. this is going to come out of our tax dollars. there are murderers out there who get less than 10 yrs, rapists who get 5 yrs. What the heck is this state thinking.

This con man received a lengthy sentence to serve as an example. There are too many in this world who love to rip people off. I've been a victim myself. All most people care about is themselves and the almighty dollar. I hope this sentence has a chilling effect.

The sentence is not harsh enough. They should lock him up and throw away the key. The crimes were not penny ante either. This guy has a long list of crimes. Go to the website www.courts.state.ri.us and type in John Kluth and look at his crimes, they are 3 pages long.

Habitual offender or not, there's jigs walkin the streets with violent crimes under their belts..make him earn and pay full restitution to all of the victims using his prison salary doing hard labor.

Im sure whoever put up the cash bail being used for restitution was conned by him anyways.

People who take advantage of other people's good will should be dealt with in a way to see that it will not happen again. People by nature are mostly good, but there is always those that will prey on them. As I said, they should be dealt with severly, so next time they'll think before they act. Everyone goes through some form of tough time in their lives, but do they try to take advantage of other's good will? No.

Not only am I glad I no longer live in that dreadful state, but now I'm not sure I want to step one foot in it. RI, GET REAL! Only high profile cases get this much time. how about 1 year or?

He stole from many people, including from the elderly, over years and was completely unremorseful.

This is a particularly dirty kind of crime, because it makes people less likely to help people in need in the future, since they will be less trusting.

Most sentences are far too light.

Although it seems like an awful long sentence, I believe it is a clear case of Karma. He is paying for all the things that he got away with in the past.

Child molester in w warwick got less time and he molested 6 children. I say put Kluthj in jail for 3 years with dying lobsters in his cell.

I can't for the life of me understand why anyone would give money to a relative stranger. I don't think anyone really knew him. It's one thing to help someone who's hurt, lost, or otherwise incapacitated...but to give money in those amounts....I don't what they were thinking.

This is absurd. Drug dealers, rapists and child molesters get less time. $50K or so of state money per year to house this man for this. Spend that money on someone who's actually a physical danger to people. This is nuts.

one of the victimes was a judge...that 'splains it

I went to school in Newport with this clown. He always had a B.S. personality and could talk his way out of anything or talk anybody into doing whatever would benefit HIM. I'm glad it finally caught up to him. Lock him up and throw away the key.

a very long sentence. I just wish murders and rapists had to serve terms as long and longer. Its good to set an example- tough to be made an example of.

Kluth is the worst kind of criminal.....he preys on the good hearted, good natured and the elderly. Kluth has been scamming people for over 20 years, he will never be rehabilitated and this predator got exactly what he deserved.....16 years in prison. Excellent job by the cops and the states attorneys and we should be thanking the victims that came forward.....there were probably hundreds more that were embarrassed to come forward. Now he can scam other prisoners for the next 16 years.

I like your thinking Buddy V. I have a better sentence for convicted child molesters. (But let's not go there).

Paul,

Sorry you're so jaded with our state. We have our ways. Some of (our ways) are wrong and some are out of outrage against our fellow man. Long live the "Independent Man" We all have things that can be improved.
While I personaly think this sentence is excessive (and neither of us was there to hear all of the things that the Judge considered the sentence upon) I'm sure it will be rectified by the Courts that exist in our State. Have faith in the system that we have or use your right to change it.

He was judged as a habitual offender he deserves what he gets. How would you bleeding hearts like it if one of his victims was your elderly mother or father, or a brother or sister? You would be screaming for blood not saying his sentence was to severe.Some of his victims could not really afford to lose money to a class a loser like this man was. Yes there are criminals who definitely deserve a lot longer sentence than he got, but at least he got his just desserts.Someday they will too.

What's wrong with sentencing is that the violent criminals don't get long enough sentences. We'd all be better off with these people off the streets. If the state can spend taxpayers money on lifetime pensions for state workers who are "disabled" after six months of work, it can afford longer criminal sentences. Stop those ridiculous payments to state workers and we could afford a criminal justice system.

He just have just burned 100 people to death so he could have just had to serve FOUR years.