Going beyond a sentence
recommended in a plea agreement, Judge Robert Pollex sentenced Brian Steinmiller to 14 years in prison
for the 2012 death of his infant son.Steinmiller, 32, of Brim Road, was sentenced Friday afternoon in
Wood County Court of Common Pleas.Steinmiller was arrested after the May 5, 2012, death of his son,
Carter, who was 3 months old. He was initially indicted for one count of murder, one count of
involuntary manslaughter and four counts of endangering children in the death. In September he pleaded
guilty to the involuntary manslaughter count, and two counts of endangering children as part of a plea
deal.The child had reportedly suffered numerous injuries throughout his short life, including 23 rib
fractures, burns on one hand and one foot, fractures to an arm bone, and skull injuries. The abuse had
been ongoing since January, 2012, the month he was born. The cause of death was found to be abusive head
trauma.Defense attorney Alan Konop termed the crime “a tragedy” and noted that in the report prepared
prior to sentencing Steinmiller had taken responsibility for it. He said Steinmiller shows “a genuine
remorse for what happened.”Konop noted that Steinmiller had both drug and mental illness issues he had
dealt with for years prior to the death.“If only it had been resolved earlier.”Prosecuting attorney Gwen
Howe-Gebers, referring to the pre-sentencing investigation, said Steinmiller should accept
responsibility for what he had done. She noted Steinmiller knew he had injured his son early-on “and did
nothing.”“He continued to injure the child,” including burning him to make the boy stop crying.She
termed the crime “horrific.”Steinmiller, in a brief statement, rose to address the judge and, with head
turned back to the small audience in the gallery, Carter’s grandparents.“I wish I could give Carter back
his life,” he said. “I’m sorry.”While both attorneys consented to the originally agreed-upon 10-year
prison sentence, Pollex noted that the maximum for the charges was 17 years. The court is not bound to
follow sentencing recommendations in plea agreements.He acknowledged that nothing in the sentence would
bring Carter back “or satisfy feelings of anger in this crime.”“This child was basically tortured at
this young age,” said Pollex.He sentenced Steinmiller to 11 years on the involuntary manslaughter
charge, and a total of six years for the endangering children charges. However, with a nod to the
10-year plea agreement, and a concern that the two endangering children counts might be merged, he
allowed the second endangering children count to be served concurrently, for a total of 14 years in
prison.Konop, after the sentencing, would only comment that “we will be appealing the sentence.”The
mother of the child, Rebecca Steinmiller, 26, Bowling Green, pleaded guilty to an endangering children
charge in October in the death and is to be sentenced Jan. 28 at 9:30 a.m.