Aspiring pastor gets prison time

Waldorf man sentenced for ’07 robbery, beating

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Kevin Dennis Huskey-Santiago was charged with first-degree assault, robbery, armed robbery and related crimes for a November 2007 incident that left a Waldorf man bleeding on the pavement. He pleaded guilty to robbery with a deadly weapon.

The victim said he had asked the defendant, Huskey-Santiago of Waldorf, and Mark Andrew Ledbetter, 18, of Port Tobacco for a ride the night of Nov. 9, 2007. When the victim got out of the car, he said Ledbetter punched him, while someone else struck the back of his head.

‘‘He was hit so hard his teeth chattered and his chin hit his chest,” said Charles County Assistant State’s Attorney Karen Piper at the sentencing.

The victim was found bleeding on the street, and the responding police officer initially thought he was dead, according to Piper. He told police his assailants had taken his wallet containing $200 in cash.

The victim saw Ledbetter in front of him, so he believes the person who hit him in the head was Huskey-Santiago. However, Huskey-Santiago denies beating the victim, said his attorney Brian Young. He told police Ledbetter hit the victim with a pipe three or four times, according to court documents.

Huskey-Santiago’s family said he had completely changed since the incident.

‘‘This is a thing that needed to happen to him,” said Huskey-Santiago’s brother-in-law, Jake Witt. ‘‘I know he can go off in this world and do the right thing from here on out.”

Huskey-Santiago’s sister, Gina Witt, said her brother wants to become a pastor after he serves his time and visit prison to minister to the inmates.

‘‘I hope he does,” said Circuit Court Judge Amy Bragunier, who presided over the hearing.

Before she gave the sentence, Bragunier made Huskey-Santiago examine pictures of the victim after the attack.

‘‘It’s disgusting. He needs to look at that,” she said. ‘‘Leaving [the victim] bleeding on the sidewalk shows a depraved heart,” Bragunier told Huskey-Santiago later in the hearing.

Huskey-Santiago said he didn’t call the police after he realized how severely the victim was injured because he had been drinking and was scared. ‘‘I know in this world, we can all become blinded by carnal things,” he said.

Bragunier sentenced Huskey-Santiago to 20 years in prison with all but four suspended, giving him credit for the 225 days he has already served. Upon his release, Huskey-Santiago will be on probation for five years, the judge ruled.

Bragunier said she sentenced Huskey-Santiago below the guidelines of the plea agreement between his attorney and the state’s attorney in view of the fact he helped the state prosecute Ledbetter and because of his family’s positive testimony about him.

‘‘You got a lot of thanking to do because you could easily be looking at life in jail,” Bragunier said.