Yale Professor Sentenced to 15 Years

By Janice D'arcy
Originally published in The Hartford Courant, February 13, 2002

NEW HAVEN — Former Yale Professor Antonio Lasaga was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison today, four years after he was arrested and two years after he admitted to abusing a young boy he was supposed to mentor.

Judge Alvin Thompson sentenced Lasaga to less than the government had recommended. He was convicted of possessing and receiving child pornography.

"It is clear (the victim) had a significant part of his childhood stolen away by you for your own purposes," Thompson told Lasaga.

Lasaga, a former Yale geologist popular with students and world-renowned for his scholarship, has already been in custody for a month awaiting sentencing. He now faces another sentence Friday on the six state charges to which he pleaded no contest.

Those charges, including two first degree sexual assault charges, carry a maximum penalty of more than 100 years.

Lasaga has admitted that he both downloaded child pornography and sexually abused a young New Haven boy for several years. He met the boy through a New Haven schools mentoring program.

Thompson's sentence came after Lasaga's lawyer, Diane Polan, filed last minute challenges to the plea agreement this week and after Lasaga's family delivered emotional pleas for lenience on Tuesday.

Lasaga's estranged wife, Evelyn, and his oldest son, Peter, both asked the judge to consider Lasaga's personal and academic good deeds.

They may have to make the same plea Friday, because Lasaga's lawyers have not worked out a pre-arranged deal on the state charges. And since the state charges are more serious, the state sentence will determine if Lasaga will spend the rest of his life in prison.