The first of those responsible for the marijuana robbery and killing of Jeffery Quinn Settler in November 2016 in the hills northwest of Laytonville was sentenced Friday morning in the Mendocino County Superior Court.
Michael Andrew Kane, age 27, of Pleasantville, New York, was sentenced to 14 years in state prison. Kane was convicted by guilty plea of voluntary manslaughter by use of a hatchet, a felony, and robbery of an inhabited dwelling while acting in concert with others, also a felony.
The sentence imposed on this defendant today was the maximum allowed by law given the crimes for which he was convicted.
Because the two crimes are deemed violent under California law, any good or work time credits the defendant may attempt to earn in state prison in an effort to decrease his prison stay shall not exceed 15% of the overall sentence.
Long-grieving family members -- the victim's father, mother, sister, and brother -- traveled to Ukiah from Texas to watch and participate in the proceedings presided over this morning by Mendocino County Superior Court Judge John Behnke. The father, sister, and brother addressed Judge Behnke individually and on behalf of the extended Settler family, and all delivered moving victim impact statements.
District Attorney David Eyster is the prosecutor handling this matter who appeared this morning to represent the interests of the People of the State of California. While many law enforcement agencies -- both in California and across the country -- provided assistance to the successful prosecution of this defendant, the primary investigating agency was the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office.
The other six co-defendants will be brought to the Ukiah courthouse next Friday, November 2nd, at 9 o'clock in the morning for their respective sentencing hearings. These additional six defendants are all going to each receive stipulated state prison sentences.
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