Perennial candidate heading to prison

The state Parole and Probation Department had recommended that perennial political candidate Hilary Michael Milko be given probation for two felony charges in a child-snatching case involving his son.

But Milko convinced the judge otherwise.

District Judge Kathy Hardcastle determined from Milko's words that he is still a threat to his ex-girlfriend and their son and sentenced the 42-year-old political maverick to 16 to 72 months in prison.

Milko told the judge that he still considers himself to be married to the mother of his child, although the marriage was never legal and the woman has been given sole custody of their son. Milko currently is barred from any visitation.

"You just don't get it," Hardcastle told the defendant before sending him to prison.

The sentencing came after a third psychiatrist determined Milko was mentally competent to be sentenced for the burglary and violation of custody rights convictions. While a fourth psychiatrist declared him to be incompetent, the other three decided Milko was feigning incompetence.

Immediately after the sentencing, Milko yelled at his attorney, Alzora Jackson, that she was fired and then turned his venom toward the judge.

He referred to Hardcastle by a couple of gender-specific profanities and then accused her of taking $100,000 from his campaign account as a bribe. As Milko was being led out of the courtroom, he vowed to take her to federal court.

Milko will have to serve about a year in prison before he will be eligible for parole. And when he gets out, the felony convictions will prevent him from ever again seeking elective office in the state.

Milko has run for president, Congress, Nevada governor and Las Vegas mayor, but never accumulated a significant number of votes.

While Deputy District Attorney Clark Peterson had urged the prison time, Jackson asked the judge not to treat Milko differently than other defendants. But that was before Milko's outbursts.

Milko was convicted by a jury in June of going into his ex-girlfriend's North Las Vegas home in June 1998 and taking their then-3-year-old son.

He faces trial on additional charges of burglary and home invasion in a separate incident, although a trial date has not been set.

In that case, Milko is alleged to have broken into his ex-girlfriend's home and stolen a computer in broad daylight in front of neighbors.

archive