Minnesota

Eight years in prison for suspect in Dakota County torture case

 A Northfield man who participated in a group attack on a developmentally disabled man in rural Dakota County was sentenced this morning to eight years in prison.

John Maniglia, 21, had pleaded guilty in April to one county each of kidnapping, third-degree assault and theft as his trial was about to begin. Seven other charges against him were dropped.

The eight-year prison term, handed down by Judge Tim Wermager, is twice the recommended sentence.

"We are pleased that this defendant has been held responsible for his actions in this violent kidnapping and assault," County Attorney Jim Backstrom said in a press release issued today.

Backstrom has said the longer sentence was necessary because of the cruelty of Maniglia's crimes.

Maniglia's then-girlfriend, Natasha Dahn, provoked the October 2008 attacks on 24-year-old Justin Hamilton by lying to Maniglia and others, saying Hamilton had hit her.

Hamilton, who has a learning disability, was kidnapped and beaten on two successive nights in October. He told police that he was tied to a tree, burned with cigarettes, kicked and hit with a baton.

A passerby picked Hamilton up and took him to the Northfield police station after the second beating. He had severe cuts and bruises and broken ribs.

Dahn, 16, pleaded guilty in November to four felonies in exchange for extended juvenile jurisdiction.

Jonathan Diepold is scheduled for a jury trial on July 27. The other two defendants, Glen Ries, 34, and Timothy Ketterling, 22, have pretrial conferences scheduled for June 22.