Child-abuse conviction upheld

Child-abuse conviction upheld

Posted: Wednesday, January 20, 2010 12:00 am | Updated: 9:22 pm, Tue Dec 11, 2012.

JournalNow Staff

The N.C. Court of Appeals yesterday upheld the conviction of a Winston-Salem man who is serving time for child abuse.

Paul Salvetti, 46, was charged with child abuse -- along with his wife, Debbie Sue Salvetti, 41, -- in June 2007. They were accused of keeping an adopted son, who was 13 at the time, locked in his room all day and giving him a bologna sandwich, a pack of crackers and an apple for breakfast, his only meal until he was fed again at night.

The boy weighed 87 pounds when he first spoke with police officers, 2 fewer pounds than he weighed two years earlier, police said. The boy was taken to Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center, where he gained 10 pounds in four days.

Both Salvettis entered an Alford plea in the case in October 2008. In an Alford plea, a defendant does not admit guilt but concedes that there is enough evidence to convict.

Paul Salvetti asked to withdraw his plea two days after he was sentenced to between 20 months and 33 months in prison.

That request was denied by Judge L. Todd Burke.

In a decision released yesterday, the appeals court determined that Burke acted appropriately when he turned down Salvetti's request.

Both Paul and Debbie Salvetti are scheduled to be released in June, according to N.C. Department of Correction records.