Father sentenced after filming son, 9, fighting

MCMINNVILLE, Ore. – A father will spend 13 months in prison after pleading guilty to charges related to his filming and posting of a video of his 9-year-old son fighting with a neighbor’s son in a McMinnville parking lot.

Jaime Garcia will also receive three years of probation after his guilty plea to one count each of criminal mistreatment and coercion – both felonies.

At the sentencing on Monday, Yamhill County Circuit Court Judge Ronald Stone told Garcia to “get a grip” and change his life after his sentence. When police arrived at the apartment complex where Garcia’s son fought another boy, they found rotten food, dirty dishes and inadequate edible food for the children.

Garcia has five children, all of whom are in their mother’s custody.

In the three-minute video, adult voices cheered on the boys as Garcia’s son fought the 9-year-old son of Michael Chandler. Chandler, 34, was sentenced to 60 days in jail.

The children have been removed from Garcia’s and Chandler’s homes.

Police say an out-of-state caller alerted them to a video on Facebook that showed the fight.

Deputy District Attorney Alicia Eagan said Garcia’s son is afraid to be alone with him.

“He did not want to fight,” Eagan said. “But he was terrified if he didn’t fight, things would be worse for him. He had to fight as hard as he could, until one of the boys tapped out.”

As part of their plea deals, charges of assault, reckless endangerment and strangulation were dropped against Garcia and Chandler.