A federal judge has handed down a 100-year prison sentence for the eastern Iowa man found guilty of taking pornographic pictures of Jetseta Gage, the 10-year-old Cedar Rapids girl who was kidnapped and killed over two years ago.
In March, James Bentley was tried and convicted by a jury for making Jetseta and a 10-month-old pose for the sexually-explicit pictures. Bentley’s brother, Roger, is accused of killing the girl to keep her from testifying against his brother James.
Jetseta’s mother was given an opportunity to speak in open court before the judge handed down James Bentley’s sentence. Trena Gage-Bakeoven shared details of the case that have not previously been made public.
For example, she said the 10-month-old who was in the pictures was her other daughter and that Jetseta became suicidal and sometimes struck out at others because Bentley was abusing her. She also said the photos at the center of this federal case documented Bentley’s “revolting behavior” with her two daughters.
James Bentley’s attorneys argue he has a right to confront his accuser and have filed motions asking judges to toss out the videotaped interview with Jetseta which prosecutors plan to use as evidence against Bentley in his state trial. Prosecutors and Bentley’s lawyers will deliver oral arguments on the issue Wednesday afternoon before the Iowa Supreme Court.