Central Islip, New York - Former Congressman George Santos is now pleading with the judge overseeing his fraud trial not to give him a harsher sentence due to his contentious social media posts.

In a letter sent to Judge Joanna Seybert on Saturday, Santos accused the Department of Justice, which is seeking a seven-year sentence for his alleged wire fraud and identity theft, of trying to "shape my narrative through assumptions and misinterpretations of my online activity."

Santos, who was ousted from Congress in December 2023 after telling more lies than he could keep up with, argued that while he has pled guilty and taken responsibility for his actions, "saying sorry doesn't require me to sit quietly while these prosecutors try to drop an anvil on my head."

"True remorse isn't mute; it is aware of itself, and it speaks up when the penalty scale jumps into the absurd," Santos wrote.

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"This distinction seems lost on the prosecution, who would rather slap a 'keep quiet or else' sticker on me and steam-press whatever spirit I've got left."

According to CBS News, his letter comes after the DOJ submitted a filing last week that pointed to a number of social media posts Santos has shared that show he "remains unrepentant for his crimes," and approaches sentencing with belligerence and an insatiable appetite for 'likes,' blaming his situation on everyone except himself."

The filing pointed to several posts, including one in which he categorized himself as a "scapegoat," and another in which he criticized the DOJ for indicting him but not "the cabal of pedophiles running around in every power structure in the world, including the US Government."

In his letter, Santos argued he is entitled to free speech, and insisted he has "made sincere efforts to rebuild his life and earn an honest living."

"My posts may be colorful, but they don't justify a sentence triple the norm, and the government should be ashamed of itself for even seeking such a high sentence," he added.

Santos is scheduled to be sentenced on Friday, April 25.