by KYW's Brad Segall

A former appraiser who made regular appearances on the popular PBS television series “Antiques Roadshow” was led from a Montgomery County, Pa. courtroom in handcuffs on Monday after being sentenced for stealing from clients.

Judge Thomas Del Ricci told Russell Pritchard (above and right) that he was a thief and "today you’ll pay for your crimes."

Pritchard, 44, was sentenced to 4-8 years in state prison for stealing nearly $150,000 from six victims.
 
One of those victims, Peter Betetti, says he contracted with Pritchard to sell family heirlooms after his mother died and his father was going to a nursing home, but he never saw any money:

“I hope that he learns. But I really do think that Mr. Pritchard is going to come out of jail and do the same thing again. He just doesn’t understand. He thinks what he is doing is correct. And he should not be able to hurt other people in the future.”

Pritchard hasn’t paid back any of the money. He spent time in jail several years ago and was recently given seven years' probation in Bucks County on similar charges.

And Pritchard says he never meant to deceive or cheat anyone. He told the court that bad weather plagued some of the auctions where the items were going to be sold. 

Montgomery County prosecutor Tracey Potere says Pritchard got the sentence he deserved:

"But I was hoping to recoup some of the losses for these individuals. This was retirement money, inheritance money, valuables that had been in the family, heirlooms, things of that nature.”