A Virginia man is headed to prison for beating his 12-year-old stepson with autism because he was eating bread in bed.

Casey Mobley, 35, pleaded guilty to child abuse in March. The sentencing guidelines called for six months in jail but a judge sent Mobley to prison for two years followed by three years of probation, Smyth County Commonwealth’s Attorney Phillip “Bucky” Blevins said in a press release.

Love true crime? Sign up for our newsletter, The Law&Crime Docket, to get the latest real-life crime stories delivered right to your inbox

The incident occurred in the early morning hours of July 14, 2023, when Mobley saw the boy had eaten bread in bed.

“Mobley cursed while he struck and beat his victim in the buttocks and face – an attack that lasted approximately 30 seconds and was recorded on closed-circuit television,” the press release said.

At sentencing, Blevins argued the Virginia sentencing guidelines that called for just six months behind bars were “out of touch” and argued for more time. The judge apparently agreed.

More from Law&Crime: ‘She spends $400 on food’: 4-year-old ‘within days of fatal organ failure’ was forced to sit in dog crate and watch family eat because he was a ‘picky’ eater, cops say

“Casey Mobley is a monster who beat a child without mercy,” Blevins said. “The young man was vulnerable, innocent, and deserving of love and protection – not violence. What Mobley did is inexcusable and unconscionable. Let this be a message to anyone who would harm a child: we will find you, prosecute you, and seek justice for our victims. My office is committed to holding child abusers accountable. I am grateful for Judge Campbell’s decision to exceed the guidelines and for the support of the Smyth County Sheriff’s Office.”

Smyth County is located in the southwest part of the state, just north of the borders shared with Tennessee and North Carolina.