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18-Year-Old Gets Break On Sentencing

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By TODD LESKANIC

tleskanic@tampatrib.com

Published: December 13, 2008

NEW PORT RICHEY - Christopher Cutugno looked more honor student than vicious attacker when he appeared in court Friday.

That's what an oxford shirt, tie and glasses will do.

He wore different attire on March 1, when he broke into a Port Richey home, beat two other teens and stole an Xbox and a watch.

That evening, Cutugno donned all black and covered his face with a bandana.

The 18-year-old pleaded no contest to armed burglary and aggravated battery Friday afternoon and got a break when Circuit Judge Jack Day agreed to sentence him as a youthful offender. That means he will face a maximum of six years in prison when Day sentences him next week.

Under normal circumstances, the charges could have put Cutugno in prison for life. In this case the defendant had a few things in his favor. Most importantly, members of his family appeared in court and vouched for him, saying his participation in the attack was an aberration.

"It's hard for me to look at him and think that he's done this because it's just not him," said his father, John Cutugno. "He's always been a loving kid."

Authorities said John Cutugno's son teamed up with two other teens - Spencer Clayton and Sean Broderick - in carrying out the attack on Jordan Rennie and Joshua Sayers. Rennie, then 16, and Sayers, then 17, were inside Sayers' Collage Lane home when they were attacked.

Christopher Cutugno's attorney, Sam Williams, said the boys went to the house looking for drugs. Cutugno was armed with a bat and began swinging it when they encountered Rennie and Sayers.
Rennie suffered a broken nose, a broken jaw and a cut on her face that required 30 stitches to close. Assistant State Attorney Bryan Sarabia said the injuries required plastic surgery. Sayers' hand was broken. Neither attended the hearing.

Authorities said Broderick, 18, who has a court hearing Wednesday, drove Cutugno and Spencer to and from the house. Clayton, 18, went inside the house with Cutugno, investigators said. His case is set for hearing in January.

Reporter Todd Leskanic can be reached at (727) 815-1084.

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