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Crime & Safety

Congressman's Former Daughter-in-law Pleads No Contest to Child Deprivation

Jennifer Lopez DeJongh was accused of depriving the boys' paternal grandparents - Rep. Gary Miller, R-Brea, and his wife, Cathy - of their right to visit the children by taking the boys to Mexico in 2007.

A woman and her husband pleaded no contest Wednesday to child custody deprivation for taking her three sons -- grandsons of a Southland congressman -- to Mexico in 2007, where they remained for more than three years.

Over the prosecution's objection, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Lance Ito sentenced 35-year-old Jennifer Lopez DeJongh and George DeJongh, 29, to five years probation and 100 hours of community service. The judge also ordered them to obey all laws and court rulings.

The couple were accused of depriving the boys' paternal grandparents -- Rep. Gary Miller, R-Brea, and his wife, Cathy -- of their right to visit the children by taking the boys to Mexico in November 2007.

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When the DeJonghs were found in Mexico in August 2011, the congressman thanked authorities for tracking down the boys, then-10-year-old twins and their 12-year-old brother.

The couple's attorney, Michael V. Severo, said he intends to ask a panel from California's 2nd District Court of Appeal to consider another judge's ruling -- an appeal that he said could result in the case's dismissal if successful.

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The defense lawyer said his clients opted to change their pleas from not guilty to no contest "because a trial here would have involved bringing the children here to testify," saying it was "in the best interests of the children that they chose this path."

The judge agreed to stay the couple's community service requirement for six months while their appeal is pending and set a May 7 progress report date for their criminal case.

If the appellate court turns down the couple's appeal, the two can ask at the end of their probationary period that the felony charges be reduced to misdemeanors.   Deputy District Attorney Whelma Llanos said she had sought a suspended state prison term that would have made the charges ineligible to be reduced to misdemeanors. She said the prosecution will object to any request that the charges be reduced.

"We do believe this is felonious conduct," the prosecutor said.

Jennifer DeJongh has publicly accused the boys' father of abusing the children.

The brothers are currently with their paternal grandparents as a result of a temporary guardianship, and their mother has monitored visitation, according to the DeJonghs' attorney.

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