Missing Mich. boys' dad gets plea deal

(CBS/WTOL/AP) - A Michigan father who was charged with kidnapping after the disappearance of his three sons has received a plea deal that downgrades his charges.

John Skelton pleaded no contest Thursday in an Adrian, Mi. court to a charge of unlawful imprisonment.

In exchange, prosecutors dropped a charge of parental kidnapping in the Thanksgiving 2010 disappearance of 9-year-old Andrew, 7-year-old Alexander and 5-year-od Tanner Skelton.

Had Skelton been convicted of kidnapping, he faced a possible sentence of life in prison, reports CBS affiliate WTOL. With the lesser imprisonment charges the Michigan man only faces up to 15 years in prison.

According to WTOL, residents in the Skelton's Southern Michigan home of Morenci feel he is getting off too easy.

Jody Pummell, a former neighbor of the Skelton family says she's upset by the plea bargain.

"I'm not real happy with it. I think he got off real easy," Pummell said.

Skelton maintains he gave the boys to members of an underground sanctuary group called United Foster Outreach and Underground Sanctuaries and doesn't know where they are. He says the boys will never be returned as long as his ex-wife Tanya Zuvers has custody of them.

Police were unable to find evidence of the supposed organization's existence and have been treating the case as a homicide investigation.

Skelton is scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 15.

Complete coverage of missing Skelton boys on Crimesider