LAS VEGAS (AP) - A prosecutor says he's almost positive a Las Vegas man who was sentenced to more than three years in federal prison in a mortgage fraud case will go back to preying on distressed homeowners.

The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports Alex Soria was sentenced Tuesday to 37 months in prison. He was also ordered to pay over $320,000 in restitution.

In court documents, prosecutor Brian Young contended that the 65-year-old Soria was committing fraud even while in federal custody awaiting sentencing.

Soria's attorney, Michael Sanft, said some of Soria's customers weren't hurt by his actions, but that Soria wasn't able to repay them when they complained.

Soria has been behind bars for about 16 months. He denied wrongdoing in a recent letter to the Review-Journal, and claimed he was being persecuted by the government.

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