Judge gives Phils Series ring thief a break

A former janitor at Citizens Bank Park was sentenced this morning to three to 23 months in prison for stealing a World Series ring that a Phillies executive left in a lavatory stall.

Anthony Mobley, 54, of the city's Ogontz section, apologized briefly to Common Pleas Court Judge Adam Beloff for the Aug. 31, 2009 theft.

Beloff imposed a sentence below the 24 to 36 months requested by Assistant District Attorney A.J. Nardozzi, crediting Mobley's decision to immediately cooperate when confronted by detectives three days later and show them where he hid the $10,500 diamond-studded ring.

Beloff noted that Mobley also waived all prior hearings, saving the prosecutor the expense of bringing in witnesses to testify.

Mobley, who was convicted in a 1974 gang-related murder and later armed robbery and spent most of his life in prison, was paroled in 2001 and became a "model citizen" until his arrest last year, the judge said.

"Wasn't keeping your freedom enough to keep you honest?" asked Beloff, who also sentenced Mobley to four years of reporting probation when he completes his prison term.