Linda Ann Weston Gets Life Plus 80 Years in “Tacony Dungeon” Case

A Philadelphia woman has been sentenced to 80 years plus life in prison for a decade-long practice of imprisoning mentally handicapped people, stealing their health and Social Security benefits and abusing them with objects, including bats, hammers and a pistol butt.

Weston, who pleaded guilty in September to all 196 counts against her, faced charges of kidnapping, racketeering conspiracy and murder in aid of racketeering, hate crimes, sex trafficking and fraud.

Prosecutors contended Linda Weston and four others held people captive in Philadelphia, Texas, Virginia and Florida from 2001 to 2011, when four victims were found – one of them chained – in a basement in the Tacony section of the city. Defense attorneys have said Weston entered the guilty plea out of concern for her children. As a result, she illegally collected approximately $212,000 in Social Security payments.

They were sedated with drugs in their food and drinks, sometimes deprived of food and medical care and were forced to use buckets for bathrooms, authorities said.

If the victims attempted to escape, steal food or protest their treatment, the conspirators allegedly punched, kicked, stabbed, burned and slapped them, prosecutors said.

In April 2005, Weston and a co-defendant targeted victim D.S. They brought D.S.to a home at 2211 Glenview Avenue in Philadelphia.

On Thursday Weston said: “I believe in God and God knows what happened”.

Weston also was ordered by U.S. District Court Judge Cynthia M. Rufe to pay the Social Security Administration $273,463 in restitution and a $19,600 special assessment. In all, six disabled adults and four children were victimized by Weston.

Weston’s daughter, Jean McIntosh, and co-defendant Eddie Wright have pleaded guilty in connection with the case.

One female victim died in 2008 of bacterial meningitis and starvation in Virginia after being locked in a kitchen cabinet and attic for months, prosecutors said.

Prior to Thursday’s sentencing, several of the victims had described their horrific experience.

Two victims died during captivity. Two others, Gregory Thomas Sr. and Nicklaus Woodard, are awaiting trial.