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San Luis Jazz Band leader pleads guilty to extortion

November 19, 2015

Mitch lattingBY KAREN VELIE

The leader of the San Luis Jazz Band plead guilty last month to three counts of extortion against his wife. Mitch Latting, 66, is scheduled to be sentenced by San Luis Obispo County Superior Court Judge Jacquelyn Duffy on Dec. 8.

Latting’s downhill spiral begin in late 2014 when his wife asked for a divorce after she discovered Latting’s had been posting solicitations for sex with young men on Craigslist, according to court documents. Craigslist communications include requests for photos of male genitalia and sexual banter, according to court documents.

By December, the marriage had imploded, according to court records.

Latting then began making written threats to harm his wife Jolie Lucas unless she signed a quit claim deed assigning half of their home to Latting, according to court documents.

On Feb. 2, Latting was charged with three felony counts of writing threatening letters with the intent to extort. He was arrested and released on $25,000 bail. The charges were later reduced to misdemeanors.

The court then granted Lucas a criminal protection order for domestic violence against Latting.

In criminal court, Latting faces a maximum statutory penalty of three years in jail and a $3,000 fine, according to the California Penal Code.

In divorce court, Commissioner Patrick Perry awarded Latting the house and ordered Lucas to pay Latting $650 a month in spousal support.


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And who says there are no happy endings in court.


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Actually, we need the facts! Did he own the house before marriage? How long had they been married? Was there a pre-marriage agreement? Was she the bread winner? I am under the impression that divorces are based on facts and deeds. I think we would need to know more in order to judge this decision. Just sayin!


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I also question the allegations about the Craigslist activities. If there was proof of requests for minors in compromising situations, the DA would be prosecuting for child porn instead of limiting their focus on a few poorly worded letters demanding a split of assets. I agree, we need the facts and not just allegation expressed by a pissed off former spouse.


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The article specifies “young men” as Latting’s contacts, not children.


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If this guy wanted to change playing fields, why didn’t he just leave and go do it without trying to hurt is wife more. Seems like he’s ended up hurting himself more.


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If this is written correctly, and the wife was ordered to pay spousal support and give the husband her half of the house, that seems pretty on par for Commissioner Perry. This isn’t the first time I’ve heard that he given a women the shaft in court.


Fair is fair but I think he leans to the “teach the woman a lesson” side.


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lol at the extortion charge. what is a semiannual property tax bill? that’s right folks, extortion.


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Yep. She makes the money. She should have signed it and given him half the house. Now he gets all of it. Divorce court is all about numbers, folks, not emotion.


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Did I read this wrong? The comminssioner ordered HER to pay spousal support AND HIM the house????


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I’d say the divorce commissioner needs to give his head a shake! He gets the house AND spousal support? For what, so he can further his adventures seeking sex with young men on Craigslist???? Unbelievable.


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The same type of thing happens to men all the time. Ex-wifes get the house, half the pension, life insurance benefits, and part of the Social Security payments.


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Guess Judge felt he needed a nice place to bring his new young “boy-toys” to. Pretty considerate sounds like. However, I will agree about fairness. If a woman was doing this she should get not one damn thing.


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Gross


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