Liberace: Former Lover Guilty Of Identity Theft, Given Suspended Sentence 

Liberace’s former lover, Scott Thorson, was sentenced to eight to 20 years jail by Washoe District Judge Patrick Flanagan on Wednesday after being found guilty of burglary and identity theft.

­However, the judge suspended the sentence on condition that Thorson undergo treatment for drug addiction in the county’s rehabilitation program.

Thorson wrote the book Behind the Candelabra about Liberace and their life together, which was subsequently used by HBO as the basis for a movie. (Michael Douglas played Liberace and Matt Damon took the role of Thorson. It was nominated for 15 Emmys)

In May this year, Thorson pleaded guilty to unlawful use and possession of a credit card he had stolen.

His lawyer, David Houston, said that his client had completed a drug treatment program while in jail.

He had also taken a drug test in the Bunny Ranch brothel near Carson City, after its owner, Dennis Hof, paid his $15,000 bail.

Assistant Deputy District Attorney John Helzer said the the brothel testing was worthless, and he demanded inpatient treatment, which the court could check.

He stated: “The courts can’t rely on the defendant being drug tested by a madam in a brothel to solve this problem.”

Attorney Houston told The Associated Press that the testing was legitimate. “What the state fails to appreciate is the license of that brothel is dependent upon keeping everyone drug free.”

He added: “I cannot think of any other business that has a more vested interest in making sure people are following the law. As a consequence, I would trust her drug testing over most others simply because it means so much and she is so experienced in sorting through the B.S. to get to the truth,”

Dennis Hof said that he had allowed Thorson to live at the brothel so that he could receive treatment for his addiction and also for his colon cancer.

Outside of Thorson’s current legal problems, Hof pointed out that Thorson had been in trouble before. Once, when he was a witness in a murder case, he was shot multiple times

Deputy District Attorney Rebecca Druckman said they had no complaints about the judge’s decision.

“That is within the court’s discretion. I don’t think we are displeased…We feel the sentence is appropriate. He did give Mr. Thorson an incentive to do well — eight to 20 years if he fails.”

Thorson told the court that he intended to write a book to help others get over their addictions and help them deal with the effects of cancer.

He said that his status as a celebrity would help promote the book.

Prosecuting attorney John Heltzer said “The defendant’s perception of his own celebrity is an obstacle to his recovery,” he said. “He needs to step into the real world.”

Photo Credit: HBO.com