Con Artist Appeals Revoked Probation

George Washington Upton may not live up to his namesake, but he should not be in prison, his lawyer says.

Upton, also known as Dominique DiGiorgio and several other aliases, was sentenced a year ago to up to 10 years in the state penitentiary for probation violations.

Upton, through public defender Andrew Mankowski, appealed the sentence Monday in the Coeur d’Alene City Council chambers before the visiting Idaho Court of Appeals.

The violations stem from two previous grand theft convictions. Five years ago, Upton and his then-wife, Marilyn Ferretti, allegedly bilked residents out more than $35,000.

As a condition of probation, Upton was prohibited from entering into any transactions that called for installment payments.

The probation was revoked last March and Upton was sent to prison. First District Judge Gary Haman determined Upton had made deals to buy property valued at $1 million with no money down.