Registered sex offender sentenced to 16 years in prison, with credit for time served, for attempted kidnapping

MADERA, Calif. (KFSN) -- After spending roughly three months in Madera County Jail registered sex offender Michael Bland was sentenced to 16 years in state prison with time credit. Bland took a plea deal for a second strike, the charge of attempted kidnapping with an allegation of force of a minor that was under 14.

Investigators say Bland is a transient who has been arrested repeatedly for various crimes including failing to register as a sex offender or 290 status every 30 days.

In this case trying to take an eight-year-old boy from his mother at their apartment complex laundry room.

According to the victims, Bland came in, switched off the light, then grabbed her son. He pulled the boy out of the room, but the mother hit him, freed her son, and ran to a neighbor to call the police.

The boy was not hurt, but he and his mother were emotionally upset.

"I think the mother did what any other parent would do. Your child is in danger, I think you definitely act out and take matters into your own hands and protect your child," said Madera Police Detective, Mark Trukki.

The mother and child involved were not in the courtroom but provided a victim impact statement expressing the fear caused by the whole experience.

"Yeah, I was frightened that I would be taken away and I couldn't see my family anymore, 'and your mother had to fight for you,' yeah," the victim explained.

After serving his time in state prison should he be arrested again Bland faces 25 to life under the Three-strikes law.