Detention yule ordered for three in dognapping

Kim Smith

Thursday, Dec. 21, 2000 | 10:19 a.m.

Three boys involved in the kidnapping and torture of Centennial High School's mascot will be spending Christmas in the juvenile detention center.

Family Court Judge Robert Gaston rejected plea agreements worked out between the boys' attorneys and Deputy District Attorney Frank Ponticello and ordered them to start serving seven days in custody on Wednesday.

According to police, 11 Mojave High School students were involved to varying degrees in the kidnapping and torture of Blu, an English bulldog.

Police believe the dog was stolen Sept. 27 and then forced to fight a pitbull. Blu, who had lost a dangerous amount of blood and suffered from multiple puncture wounds, was found staked on the 50-yard line of Centennial's football filed on the morning Mojave and Centennial were to play each other.

Earlier this month, two 18-year-old students entered plea agreements in District Court. Richard McDonald and Douglas Stumpf, who owned the pitbull, were ordered to stay out of trouble for one year, perform community service at an animal shelter, write a letter of apology and prepare a report on the cause and effects of animal abuse.

In addition, Stumpf was ordered to serve two days in jail, spend 60 days on house arrest, perform 120 hours of community service and pay almost $1,300 in restitution and fines.

Ponticello said he asked Gaston to sentence the three boys Wednesday to 200 hours of community service and one year probation. They had also agreed to write an apology letter and give up primary custody of any dogs they may own.

All three boys played lesser roles than Stumpf in the incident, Ponticello said.

But, Gaston gave the boys seven days in custody, six months probation and 200 or 300 hours of community service in an animal shelter, depending upon their roles, Ponticello said. He also ordered them to write a letter of apology.

"Judge Gaston made his decision independent of our recommendations," Ponticello said. "But, the judge is always free to impose whatever sentence he wants. That's why he's the judge."

The boys' defense attorneys were unavailable for comment this morning.

Ponticello said three other youths received misdemeanor citations last week, two are scheduled to be sentenced within the next month and another youth had a hearing scheduled for this morning.