Mercy for an elder fleecer?

Philip Rand Lochmiller is a notorious fleecer of elderly investors. In 1985 in North County, he was sentenced to three years behind bars for his role — along with his mother and brother — in the Lochmiller Mortgage scam, which took older people to the cleaners by offering high returns.

Then Lochmiller found his way to Grand Junction, Colorado, where he promised investors — many retired and elderly — profits of 18 percent on real-estate investments. The scheme collapsed and two years ago Lochmiller was sentenced to 405 months in prison (more than 33 years) — essentially a life sentence, because he was then 64 years old. His son, Philip Lochmiller Jr., got eight years. (Note: This makes three generations specializing in scamming the elderly.)

Now, Lochmiller Sr. is asking for a "compassionate" release from prison after serving 26 of 405 months. The Bureau of Prisons "only exercises this authority on behalf of inmates suffering from life-threatening or terminal conditions, or who are severely and permanently mentally or physically debilitated," according to the Grand Junction Sentinel, which is receiving howls of protest from victims.