A father from Michigan has been sentenced to prison after being accused of violently assaulting his 9-year-old son for dozing off on the couch and subjecting his 1-year-old son to cigarette burns on his back and legs.

Cedric Diequell-Stevens Moore received a prison sentence ranging from three to ten years. He accepted a plea of no contest to child abuse charges in December, which implies that he admits the prosecutors possess sufficient evidence to convict him, though he does not formally acknowledge his guilt.

Previously covered by Law&Crime, Moore, then 38, faced accusations of child abuse in June. According to the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office, the older child managed to escape their residence on South Edith Street in Pontiac when Moore left to visit a store. The child sought refuge at a nearby home, whose owner subsequently contacted law enforcement.

Upon arrival, deputies observed that the boy had “severe abrasions” around his right eye and neck, along with welts on his torso, as detailed in a press release. The child reported that his father had struck him with a belt across his face, back, legs, and buttocks before using a broom handle to hit him and choking him to the point of unconsciousness. During the assault, Moore allegedly threatened, “It’s gonna happen all night,” before leaving the house.

The 9-year-old also recounted that his father became agitated when the younger sibling cried out of hunger. Moore purportedly “threw” the toddler into his crib. An examination of the infant revealed healed cigarette burns on his back and legs.

At the time of the arrest, Moore allegedly told a relative he was “whooping” his son for stealing. Paramedics took the boy to the hospital for treatment of his injuries. His mother did not live in the home with Moore, per deputies.

As the 1-year-old’s mother was in jail at the time of Moore’s arrest, Child Protective Services took custody of the child.