Judge seeks stiff penalty/ Father should get same sentence as mother,

Jeremy Meyer

A judge on Monday called for a stiffer sentence in a plea agreement for a man accused of disciplining his adopted son by forcing him to stay in a crawl space under the stairs.

Fourth Judicial District Court Judge Theresa Cisneros wouldn't accept a one-year sentence for the 51-year-old Colorado Springs man who, along with his former wife, devised bizarre disciplinary methods for their son, now 13 years old.

The parents' names are being withheld to protect the identity of the child and his siblings.

Cisneros said it was unfair for the husband to get less time for the child abuse than his ex-wife.

"I'm not going to accept any plea agreement that doesn't give the same sentence," she said. "They deserve to be treated equivalently. ... To do anything else would be a big injustice."

Police reports say that for years when the boy was bad, he was forced to live in a space under the stairs with only a blanket and a bucket in which to relieve himself.

His parents are accused of forcing him to masturbate in front of family members, wear a dog collar that emits an electric shock and earn rights to eat.

The boy and his six brothers and sisters who lived in the Colorado Springs home have been placed in foster care, pending a Feb. 14 hearing that will determine whether the parents will be able to regain custody.

The man also is facing a felony theft charge. His sentencing hearing has been rescheduled for 8:30 a.m. Jan. 22.

PLEA AGREEMENTS

The woman was sentenced Dec. 20 to two years in jail after pleading guilty to two misdemeanors in exchange for the dismissal of a felony sexual abuse charge. The man was pleading guilty to one misdemeanor charge of child abuse in exchange for the dismissal of a felony sexual abuse charge.