LAKEPORT — A judge Tuesday sentenced Thomas Loyd Dudney to more than 100 years to life in state prison for crimes related to an October 2009 incident in which a Lakeport man was shot, tortured and hogtied.
Judge Arthur H. Mann presided over the sentencing hearing. Deputy district attorney Art Grothe represented the Lake County District Attorney”s Office and attorney Doug Rhoades represented Dudney.
A jury convicted the 60-year-old Sonoma County man in March of 10 felony counts, and found many special allegations to be true, following a trial that lasted the better part of six weeks and nearly two days of deliberations.
The jury returned guilty verdicts for first-degree attempted murder, simple mayhem, torture, robbery, first-degree burglary, assault with a firearm, assault with a blunt force object, assault with force likely to cause great bodily injury, battery with serious bodily injury and active participation in a criminal street gang.
The special allegations included that five of the crimes were committed with the infliction of great bodily injury and that nine of the crimes were committed for the benefit of a criminal street gang, The Misfits Motorcycle Club.
The prosecution argued that Dudney and an unidentified second person attacked Ronald Greiner at the Lakeport man”s house behind the Record-Bee building during the early morning hours of Oct. 20, 2009.
Greiner, who testified Feb. 9, said he recognized one of the two attackers as a man he knew by the nickname KTron and later pointed to Dudney when asked if KTron was present in the courtroom. Greiner said he saw Dudney fire two gunshots that hit him.
The jury heard that Greiner”s injuries included gunshot wounds to the chest and leg, cuts to the legs, arms, head and face, severely swollen eyes, nasal fractures, three broken ribs and collapsed lungs on each side of the chest.
Greiner, who attended Tuesday”s sentencing along with his mother and two sisters, submitted to the court a victim impact statement, which a representative from the DA”s Office Victim-Witness Division read aloud.
Greiner wrote that as a result of the attack, “My life and the life of my family was changed in a way that was unthinkable and unimaginable.”
Greiner”s statement, which addressed Dudney directly, went on to say, “What you put me through was nothing compared to what my family had to endure.” Greiner said the love and support of his family helped him survive during his time in the hospital.
Greiner wrote that he still experiences physical aftereffects of the attack and has encountered “extreme loneliness” as a result of being placed into a witness protection program.
He also encouraged the judge to impose the upper terms and asked Dudney to “do the right thing” by informing law enforcement about the identity of the second attacker.
Dudney also read a statement aloud to the court, while sitting at the defense table wearing black and white inmate uniform and bound by chains.
He denied any involvement in the attack, saying “you got the wrong guy; it wasn”t me.” He went on to say that investigators “used me as a scapegoat.”
Dudney also attempted to impugn Greiner”s credibility, referring specifically to the victim”s admitted use of drugs and cultivation of marijuana. The prosecution argued Dudney and the second attacker stole marijuana that Greiner had hanging in the house.
Grothe said he believed the upper terms should be imposed for all counts because of the “viciousness and callousness of the attack” and Dudney”s lack of remorse.
Rhoades suggested either the middle or upper terms be imposed.
Mann imposed the upper terms for a majority of the felony counts and enhancements from the special allegations. The sentences of several counts and enhancements were imposed but stayed because of the interrelated nature of the crimes.
Dudney received 25 years to life for the enhanced Count 1 (attempted murder), but the enhanced sentence for Count 7 (assault with a firearm) was imposed but stayed because the court deemed both crimes had resulted from a single course of conduct.
Mann ordered Dudney to serve another 25 years to life for an enhanced Count 3 (simple mayhem), but deemed the remaining two assault counts and the battery count had resulted from the same conduct. The sentences for those three counts were imposed but stayed.
Dudney also received enhanced sentences of 25 years to life for the felony counts of torture and robbery. Mann imposed multiple-year terms for the remaining counts of burglary and participation in a criminal street gang.
The judge ordered the terms be served consecutively. Dudney received an aggregate total of 653 days credit for time already served.
Mann also ordered Dudney to pay a minimum of $28,000 in restitution fines and court-related fees.
After the judge pronounced the sentence, Dudney informed the court that he had prepared a written notice of appeal, which he intended to file Tuesday.
Greiner and his family complimented many Lake County agencies for their efforts during the investigation and the trial. “We feel that the Lake County District Attorney”s Office and law enforcement did a fabulous job,” said Charlene Greiner, the victim”s mother.
Contact Jeremy Walsh at jwalsh@record-bee.com or call him at 263-5636, ext. 37.
