By Ashley Perham, Charleston Gazette-Mail
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Jeanne Kay Whitefeather, 63, and Donald Ray Lantz, 61, were given the maximum sentence Wednesday for the mistreatment of four of their five adopted children while the family lived in Sissonville.
In January, a Kanawha County jury found the couple guilty on 31 of 35 indicted counts, including human trafficking, child abuse and forced labor. Whitefeather was found guilty of four charges of civil rights violations against the children, who are Black.
Kanawha County Circuit Judge Maryclaire Akers sentenced Whitefeather to 215 years in prison and Lantz to 160 years. They can receive parole after 49 and 36 years, respectively. Akers waived a potential $2.4 million in fines so the couple could pay $280,000 each in restitution to the children. Chris Krivonyak, assistant prosecuting attorney, said the restitution was calculated by the potential medical bills the children face.
