La Mesa

Twenty years in federal prison was the sentence handed down Monday to a 19-year-old Spring Valley man who kidnaped a woman, kept her tied up for long periods and took her across state lines.

The sentence given Jeffrey James Miller by U.S. District Judge Rudi Brewster followed the recommendation of the probation department and Assistant U.S. Attorney Joan Weber.

At the sentencing were the victim, Cindy Gladen, 20, her parents and her brother. Gladen was kidnaped March 28 as she left work at a beauty shop in La Mesa. She was released after an Arizona highway patrolman stopped Miller’s car.

The judge said Miller has “an acute need” for structure in his life and needs prison to provide that. Brewster said he didn’t sentence Miller to the maximum life sentence because the victim was not sexually assaulted or killed.

Weber noted that Miller’s first crime, a burglary, occurred when he was 11 years old and since then he has had four felony and five misdemeanor convictions. Brewster said Miller received no time in custody on his first five cases.

“It’s up to Mr. Miller to decide what to make with his life. He’s the ultimate key to his own problem,” said Brewster.

Miller told authorities he kidnaped the woman because he needed a car to get out of the area because of a pending burglary charge.