Man sentenced to prison for ‘savage, outrageous’ beating of child who threw up during dinner

REXBURG — An Iona man was sentenced to prison Monday after pleading guilty to severely beating a child days before Christmas.

Sean Ryan, 32, will serve a seven-year term, with two years fixed, and five years indeterminate for one felony count of injury to a child.

Ryan, who is 6 feet, 2 inches tall and weighs around 240 pounds, became upset with his girlfriend’s 6-year-old son after the boy threw up during dinner at her home.

He “repeatedly spanked (the child) with a wood spatula, pushing him to the ground and then kicking him in the face, slapping him on the face and then spanking him again before making him take a cold shower,” according to a probable cause statement obtained by EastIdahoNews.com.

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The defense and prosecution both referred to Ryan’s case being “complex.” He has a criminal background and was charged with domestic battery in 2009, but the charge was dismissed.

He served two tours in Iraq between 2004 and 2009.

“Mr. Ryan, in my opinion, is the textbook case for the veteran who goes and serves his country, comes home, suffers PTSD and all the mental issues that he has,” Tony Sasser, Ryan’s attorney, said.

During a presentence investigation report, officials discovered Ryan was beaten by his father and blamed for his brother’s drowning. He also has a history of extensive drinking, which started at age 10 when he began consuming vodka.

Sasser recommended a suspended sentence with five years probation and intense supervision along with out-patient treatment. He recommended Ryan be given credit for the 31 days he’s already served.

Madison County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Robert Wood said that “justice for the victim requires more than probation.”

“This was a 6-year-old boy beaten by a combat veteran,” Wood said in court. “Sometimes even a decent person goes too far.”

Wood said Ryan could receive mental health treatment in prison and recommended a five-year sentence with two years fixed and three years indeterminate.

When asked by District Judge Gregory Moeller if he had anything to say, Ryan was apologetic and said the situation should never have happened.

“I should never have accepted the role of being the disciplinarian. I understand now what a father’s role should be,” Ryan said.

Moeller recognized and thanked Ryan for his service, and acknowledged his difficult past. But, while looking through images of the victim, Moeller said the bruising was “outrageous.”

He noted the victim’s face and buttocks were covered with black and blue bruises.

“This was a beating and it appears to be a savage one,” Moeller said.

The judge summarized a portion of the victim impact statement and said the child has been acting out at school and hitting other children. The victim has trouble sleeping at night and goes to bed with a Nerf gun by his side.

“Given the severity of the beating that this child received – it’s just incomprehensible to the court,” Moeller said. “There’s not a single thing he could have done to justify the beating that he received.”

Moeller said a prison sentence was suitable for the crime and that Ryan would receive necessary treatment for his mental and substance abuse issues.

Ryan must also pay $1,000 fine and a civil penalty of $5,000 to the victim.