Two sentenced in Redlands home invasion robbery of paraplegic man

Despite what Mirlohi and McGee said in court, prosecutors said they each agreed to the sentences and pleaded guilty to charges of home invasion robbery, dependant adult abuse and theft from a dependant adult in plea bargains reached Aug. 29.

Victim Steven Kile, who uses a motorized wheelchair to get around, appeared in court and was later overcome with emotion while discussing the incident in a courthouse hallway.

Kile's sister, Erica Guilliam, read a statement from her brother in court.

"Days, weeks and months afterwards I had to put my life back together," Guilliam read. "It was hard for me because I didn't know where I should start, but I got my life back together thorough counseling, support from friends and family.

"I had to replace everything that was robbed from me, and I had to get an alarm system for my apartment for my safety. I felt unsafe for a long time afterwards," said Guilliam, in her brother's words.

Kile, who uses a wheelchair and cannot talk, was attacked when he opened his apartment door to someone requesting sugar on April 22, 2007. A group of masked men rushed in. One brandished a knife but never used it, according to Redlands Police Department.

The intruders knocked Kile from his wheelchair, and then struck and kicked him. The apartment was ransacked, and the attackers took home electronics and his wallet, police said.

Co-defendant Ronn James Odom, 18, was sentenced last month to six years in state prison, under a plea bargain. Deshon Lamar Matthews, 15, was sentenced to three years in the California Youth Authority in January, according to court records.

Prosecutors said the defendants were sentenced based on their varying degrees of participation in the attack.