/*Jarred Dubois*/ was sentenced to three years of probation for criminal storage of a firearm. Action News interviewed him exclusively last week about how the death of his stepdaughter, /*Emily Lavender*/, has affected the family.
Dubois won't go to jail, but he will be monitored electronically for the next three years. More importantly for Emily's father's family, the judge gave him a lifetime ban on possessing any dangerous weapons -- no guns, no billy clubs, not even a hunting knife.
Jarred Dubois walked out of court a free man, with a heavy heart and severe restrictions on the way he lives his life. Prosecutors held the 33-year-old accountable for the death of his stepdaughter, Emily Lavender.
Emily would've turned seven last weekend, but her 2-year-old brother shot and killed her in May after finding a loaded weapon under his father's bed -- one of 53 guns police found in the house.
In an interview you only saw on Action News last week, Dubois admitted the shooting was his fault, but said it surprised him.
"I never thought it would happen," said Dubois. "My guns were put away, they weren't locked and that was my mistake."
Dubois' attorney says /*Judge Jon Kapetan*/ took issue with that sentiment, saying the shooting was foreseeable. So in court Monday, Dubois made it clearer the blame was all his.
Dubois said, "I should've taken better precautions to make sure no child could access those weapons."
Judge Kapetan put Dubois on probation for three years and ordered him to do 500 hours of community service talking with gun owners about weapons safety. Emily's biological father's family thought the punishment was light.
/*Robert Lavender, Jr.*/ said, "I wish it would've been stronger probably, just like any grandfather. I was hoping for maybe 30 days at least.
In fact, they believe Jarred is already putting the surviving four kids at risk.
Emily's grandmother, /*Sharon Wallace*/ said, "Our granddaughter hysterically explained how afraid she was because now there's a bow & arrow under the bed at the Dubois home."
Emily's father was too emotionally distraught to appear at Monday's sentencing, but he's previously told me weapons in the house were always a point of contention between himself and his ex-wife.
Dubois' attorney told Action News there's no bow & arrow in the house.
