Father who used claw hammer on son receives prison term

HILLSBORO, Mo. -- Eric Schwepker of rural Cape Girardeau County was sentenced to 14 years in prison Monday for abusing his then-11-year-old son, a penalty that satisfied both the prosecutor and the boy's grandparents.

Monday, Circuit Judge Gary Kramer sentenced Schwepker to five years in the Department of Corrections for hitting the boy on the toes with a claw hammer, five years for hitting him with a baseball bat and four years for hitting him with a belt. All the felony sentences are to run consecutively. Schwepker also was sentenced to one year in the county jail for misdemeanor assault for hitting the boy in the face. That sentence is to run concurrently.

"This sent a strong message about child abuse, that it is not to be tolerated," said assistant prosecuting attorney Scott Lipke.

The boy, now 12, is living with his maternal grandparents, Karen and Jack Bowers. They say he is doing well and is happy in their home. They also applauded the work by the prosecuting attorney's office.

"We are happy for what the prosecuting attorney did," she said.

Schwepker and his wife, Jennifer Schwepker, were both arrested last February and charged with felony child abuse. On Sept. 21, a Jefferson County jury found Schwepker guilty of the three counts of felony child abuse and one count of misdemeanor assault. Schwepker could have been sentenced to a maximum of seven years on each of the felony counts.

Jennifer Schwepker, the boy's stepmother, is scheduled to go to trial Dec. 20 in New Madrid County. The 23-year-old woman is charged with one count each of child abuse and child endangerment and two counts of domestic assault in connection with the same and other incidents involving the boy. Lipke will again be the prosecutor.

After sentencing, the 30-year-old Schwepker was released on an appeal bond. He has 10 days to file notice of appeal.

Saying child abuse can never be minimized, Lipke added: "This one was particularly heinous in nature."

sblackwell@semissourian.com

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