j/c
Latest:
http://news.yahoo.com/father-3-missing-mich-boys-gets-10-15-151340001.htmlBasically summarizing the article, he plead no contest to unlawful imprisonment and was sentenced to 10-15 years.
Here's the article:
ADRIAN, Mich. (AP) — A Michigan man who insists his three young sons are alive even though they haven't been seen since a visit to his home on Thanksgiving, was sentenced Thursday to 10 to 15 years in prison for unlawful imprisonment.
John Skelton told Lenawee Circuit Judge Margaret Noe that he loves his sons Andrew, Alexander and Tanner, and that he has cried every day since their disappearance.
The boys, who were 9, 7 and 5 years old at the time, were last seen on Thanksgiving while visiting their father's home in Morenci, a town 70 miles southwest of Detroit near the Ohio border.
The boys' mother, Tanya Zuvers, had exclusive custody of them, but had allowed them to visit their father for the holiday. He was supposed to return them to her the next day, but he told investigators that he instead gave them to an organization he refused to identify.
Investigators don't believe him, and Noe admonished Skelton during Thursday's hearing, saying he has deprived the family and the community of the comfort of knowing where the boys are. Skelton interrupted the judge to say: "Including myself, your Honor."
The judge said she has given Skelton numerous opportunities to come clean about the boys' whereabouts, and he has repeatedly failed to do so.
"Your explanations have been ridiculous," she said.
Skelton pleaded no contest to the charge in July in exchange for prosecutors dropping a parental kidnapping charge. A no contest plea is not an admission of guilt but is treated as such for sentencing purposes, and Skelton later said he made the deal because he hopes to one day spend time with his sons after he's freed.
Let me back up, and go over what is known: He was getting divorced. His wife let him have the kids for a day or 2 last november. He says he attemptedðto commit suicide after he gave the kids to a lady with the last name of Taylor. He falls while attempting suicide, hurt his leg, so he called a friend to take him to the hospital. (seriously - if I'm attempting suicide and I hurt my leg, I get up and try a little harder at suicide, don't you?)
Then, he tells the police and FBI to look in water for the kids. Then he says he gave them to an "organization".....even named it. FBI can't find any "organization".
Then he says he had to do it, because the kids' mother was sexually abusing them. (why wouldn't he have just told the police that????).
Then later he says no one will ever see the kids again if he goes to prison for life - and/or no one will ever see them again until he's out of prison.
Meanwhile, the police/FBI searched his computer and know he searched, (I think it was the week before the kids were missing), on how to break someone's neck.
10 to fifteen years is what he's got. My guess is he'll serve the 15 - but even so............
I suppose there's always the outside chance that the bodies are found, and charges could be amended IF that happens.
Sad day. 3 kids missing, and he gets to plea no contest to unlawful imprisonment and get only 15 years.