Judge: 3 will be sentenced as adults

Greg Haidl, Kyle Nachreiner and Keith Spann were convicted in March of sexual assault.An Orange County Superior Court judge ruled behind closed doors Friday that three young men convicted of sexually assaulting an unconscious 16-year-old girl will be sentenced as adults.

Greg Haidl, Kyle Nachreiner and Keith Spann were tried as adults and convicted in March of sexual assault. The defendants were acquitted on rape charges but were convicted of multiple charges of sexual penetration by a foreign object.

Haidl was convicted of six counts, Spann of five, and Nachreiner of four.

Friday’s ruling means that Haidl could face a maximum prison sentence of 18 years; 16 for Spann and 14 for Nachreiner.

Chief Assistant District Atty. Chuck Middleton said out of court Friday that he supports the court’s decision.

“It’s exactly what I anticipated, what I expected, because of the nature of the crimes,” Middleton said.

The videotape of the incident, which the public has not seen, shows crimes that are “shocking” and “malicious,” Middleton said.

“It’s the kind of behavior that needs to be punished as an adult,” Middleton said.

At a previous hearing, defense lawyers had asked Judge Francisco Briseño for their clients be sentenced as juveniles, because they were juveniles when the crime was committed.

“We had hoped that he would treat the defendants as juveniles, and we felt that there was a strong case to be made for that, and the court simply disagreed with us,” said defense attorney John Barnett outside court Friday.

Haidl, the son of former Orange County Assistant Sheriff Don Haidl, and the other two defendants, were under 18 in 2002, when the incident was videotaped at the Haidl home in Corona del Mar. All three are now 20.

Friday’s hearing was held behind closed doors, because they were juveniles when they committed the crimes.

All three are now headed to state prison for a 90-day diagnostic exam for purposes of a sentencing recommendation, Middleton said.

A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Jan. 20, Middleton said.

* LAUREN VANE covers public safety and courts. She may be reached at (714) 966-4618 or by e-mail at lauren.vane@latimes.com.