When Antonio Cardenas spoke to Judge Clark Waddoups prior to his sentencing for crimes relating to the production of child pornography, he intended to apologize to his victims, but instead "got sidetracked."---
Now out of state and about to start his 35-year sentence in federal prison, Cardenas sent City Weekly his letter of apology from a federal detention center in Tallahassee, Fla., where he's awaiting transfer to Mariana prison in the same state. "I hope [Michael] or his mother get to see it," he wrote.
The mother, whom we called Susan in the story titled "Warped Desire," said she was not interested in reading Cardenas' words.
The apology is very much in keeping with Cardenas' perspective on both his life and his crimes. .
He writes that Michael's anger and hatred, so apparent in the teen's brief appearance at Cardenas' sentencing, "is a normal response to the feeling of betrayal that you're going through right now."
His victims and others interviewed for the story denounce his lack of remorse. Judge for yourself the sincerity of his words.