A former Oregon youth basketball coach pleaded guilty yesterday to kidnapping and beating one of his players with a belt to persuade the 13-year-old to attend practices.
Leslie Jerome Lewis, 54, was sentenced to 5 ⅓ years in prison after entering a guilty plea in Multnomah County Circuit Court to first-degree mistreatment and coercion charges, The Oregonian reported.
Defense attorney Bill Redden said his client believed he had acted for the good of the child.
"He felt that corporal discipline would motivate the victim in this case to show up to practices," Redden said. "Mr. Lewis realizes that was a very bad decision."
Police arrested Lewis at his apartment on Sept. 23, after receiving a call from a neighbor who had heard the boy screaming, “Help me!”
According to court documents, the boy told police Lewis had whipped him 40 times with a belt, The Oregonian reported.
Lewis coached in the Above the Rim youth basketball league in the Portland neighborhood of Woodland Park.
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