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Teen Avoids Prison In Beating

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By TODD LESKANIC

tleskanic@tampatrib.com

Published: December 19, 2008

Updated: 12/19/2008 08:58 pm

NEW PORT RICHEY - Christopher Cutugno drew the break of his life Friday, as Circuit Judge Jack Day sentenced him just two years of house arrest followed by four years probation for his role in the March beatings of two fellow teenagers.

The only drawback for Cutugno, 18, is that he will spend the first nine months of house arrest in the Land O' Lakes Jail. Day also withheld an adjudication of guilt, meaning Cutugno will not be a convicted felon if he successfully completes his house arrest and probation.

Cutugno pleaded no contest to armed burglary and aggravated battery charges at a hearing Dec. 12. The judge agreed that day to sentence Cutugno as a youthful offender, meaning he faced a maximum penalty of six years in prison. An adult could have faced life in prison if convicted of similar charges.

The accusations stemmed from a March 1 incident in which he and two other teenagers attacked Jordan Rennie and then-boyfriend Joshua Sayers.

Rennie and Sayers, both 17, were sleeping inside Sayers' Collage Lane home when Cutugno and another boy entered the residence. One carried a gun, the other a bat. It remains unclear who had the bat and who had the gun.

Both boys wore black and had their faces covered. Whoever had the bat used it to beat Rennie and Sayers. One of the boys also shot Sayers' dog as they left the house. The dog survived the shooting.

Sayers suffered a severe injury to his left arm and has lost some use of his left hand. Rennie was hit in the head and suffered a broken nose and jaw and a cut that required 30 stitches to close.

In court Friday, Rennie said she is now blind and deaf on her left side. She still requires an extensive surgery that doctors hope will restore her vision. Rennie said she also has seizures.

Wednesday, 18-year-old Sean Broderick pleaded guilty to armed burglary and was sentenced to two years of house arrest followed by four years of probation. Authorities said Broderick drove Cutugno and co-defendant Spencer Clayton to and from Sayers' house.

Clayton, 18, is charged with armed burglary and aggravated battery. His case is set for hearing in January.

No definitive reason for the attack has been given.

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

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