MILWAUKEE COUNTY -- 50-year-old Raul Cardona, a man called one of the worst deadbeat dads in Milwaukee County history, has been sentenced to probation.
Raul Cardona
Cardona faced a total of nine felony counts of failure to support child (120+ days).
Six counts were filed in 2008, and four in 2014.
Cardona in March pleaded guilty to three counts of failure to support a child for 120+ days. Six other charges were dismissed.
In court on Tuesday, Cardona was sentenced to serve 18 months in prison and 24 months extended supervision on each charge -- to be served consecutively.
Those sentences were stayed, and Cardona was instead placed on probation for five years on each charge -- to be served consecutively -- for a total of 15 years probation.
Cardona has been ordered to pay more than $42,000 in restitution. He must pay $500 per month starting October 1st.
He must also remain in Milwaukee County for work, and he cannot switch jobs unless he finds a job equal to or better than the one he has now.
A restitution hearing has been scheduled for November 10th.
In 2014, prosecutors said Cardona served as a personal trainer to Hollywood stars with celebrity clients like Mike Tyson. His Facebook pages said he has a line of top-selling workout DVDs and an online television series called "Zero to Hero TV."
He was called one of the worst deadbeat dads in Milwaukee County history, owing nearly a quarter of a million dollars in back payments.
"His current arrears with interest is close to $250,000," said Milwaukee County Assistant District Attorney, Maureen Atwell in September of 2014 -- one month after charges were filed.
Raul Cardona
Prosecutors said Cardona was a wanted man since 2008.
He had a daughter in Milwaukee County in 1993, and a year later, he was ordered to pay more than $500 in child support. Investigators said he only made one payment.
"At some point prior to 2007, the defendant fled the country and moved to Iceland where he started a restaurant," said Atwell.
In 2014, he had returned to Hollywood.
Investigators with the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office flew to California to apprehend him after working with US Marshals and the Los Angeles Police Department.
He was arrested at an exclusive country club in Los Angeles.
Raul Cardona
"The investigators were conducting surveillance on his home, on what we believed to be his home, and believed him to be driving away from his home in a Mercedes," Milwaukee County Assistant District Attorney Maureen Atwell said in August of 2014.
Meanwhile, Cardona's attorney claimed Cardona's income, his home and his fancy cars were all in his fiancee's name.
"The money they reported to the District Attorney's office as to what he was making, it doesn't go into his pocket. It goes to his fiancee's company. He was a stay-at-home father for the child he has with his fiancee. At one point in time, he was on welfare for the state of California," said Daniel Sanders in September of 2014.