Couple Admit To Their Roles In Kidnapping Of 11-Year-Old

 

Ms. Dugard, then 11 years old and now 30, was kidnapped in 1991 and subsequently held and sexually assaulted by Philip Garrido, now 60, and his wife, Nancy, 55, at their home outside Antioch, Calif., a Bay Area suburb. Mr. Garrido, who was on parole for a previous rape conviction, fathered two daughters by Ms. Dugard and built a secret backyard compound to hold her and the children.

That nightmare ended in 2009 when the authorities discovered Ms. Dugard and her children and arrested the Garridos, who had become increasingly open about bringing their captives into the world, sometimes passing them off as their own children and using Ms. Dugard to work in a family printing business.

A lengthy legal tussle followed the couple’s arrest, with a trial tentatively planned for August. But on Thursday, both Mr. Garrido and his wife pleaded guilty, with Mr. Garrido facing a maximum sentence of 431 years in prison, and his wife 36 years to life. Both waived their right to appeal — sentencing is scheduled for June 2 — and are expected to spend the rest of their lives in prison.

Vern Pierson, the district attorney in El Dorado County, which covers South Lake Tahoe, thanked Ms. Dugard for her help in the case, which included testifying to a grand jury in September, adding that the plea deal would spare her “the grief and trauma” of a trial.

“Were it not for Jaycee’s strong cooperation with our office and the prosecution of the Garridos, we would not have been able to firmly stand by our position to take this case to jury trial,” Mr. Pierson said in a statement. “Jaycee’s courage and willingness to confront her abductors in court directly led to the defendants’ plea and life sentences.”

In a statement, Ms. Dugard said she was relieved that the Garridos had “finally acknowledged their guilt and confessed to their crimes against me and my family.”

Outside court, Stephen Tapson, Ms. Garrido’s lawyer, said both defendants agreed to the plea after prosecutors dropped some charges against Ms. Garrido providing Mr. Garrido pleaded guilty to almost the full indictment, The Associated Press reported.

“She obviously committed a serious wrong,” Mr. Tapson said, “but in her view now, she’s made peace with God and wants to get on with life, what’s left of it.”

Susan Gellman, Mr. Garrido’s lawyer, could not be reached for comment.