ADRIAN — In a hearing that included emotional statements from an assistant Lenawee County prosecutor and the young victims’ mother, John Skelton was given the maximum sentence Thursday for convictions related to the disappearance of his three sons nearly 10 months ago.

Circuit Judge Margaret Noe departed from state sentencing guidelines that suggested Skelton serve 43 to 86 months behind bars, and instead imposed a 10 to 15 year punishment. Saying the range was “grossly inadequate,” she cited the circumstances of the crime, the conduct of the defendant in deceiving investigators, and his refusal to tell the location of the children as reasons for going beyond the guidelines.

“You have said you do not want the mother of these children to have memories of her sons. Your actions are wrong. Your actions are criminal and you have failed. Their mother, school children, and the community of Morenci will never lose their memories of these children.

They will lose your memory,” Judge Noe told the defendant before handing down the sentence in the packed courtroom.

Skelton, 39, entered into a plea deal July 28 to three counts of unlawful imprisonment. In exchange for the no contest pleas, prosecutors agreed to dismiss three counts of kidnapping, which each carry a life sentence.

The boys, Andrew, 9, Alexander, 7, and Tanner, 5, were last seen playing on Thanksgiving in the backyard of Skelton’s home in Morenci. Their mother, Tanya Zuvers, had filed for divorce in September, 2010, and reported them missing after their father did not return them.

After Thursday’s hearing, Morenci Police Chief Larry Weeks said the tracking of Skelton’s cell phone put him at home until 4:19 a.m. Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, and then activity on the device indicates he was near Holiday City in Williams County in Ohio about 5:02 a.m., and he returned to Morenci at 6:46 a.m.

“This is the time we believe that John Skelton disposed of the boys in some fashion,” Chief Weeks said about the nearly 1 1/2 hour window his cell phone indicates he was moving. “That is a significant time frame and a significant area.”

Authorities said the location is consistent with statements Skelton gave about going to a three story abandon school and a nightmare in which he saw the boys and their belongings in or behind a dumpster.

Skelton was arrested in Ohio shortly after the boys disappeared. He has been held in the county jail in lieu of $30 million bond since December after he was brought back from Lucas County, where he was treated for injuries from an apparent attempted suicide.

According to court testimony, Skelton has given different and conflicting accounts about what happened to the boys, including giving them to a secret child protection organization, a woman named Joann, others by the names of Elijah and Sue, and put in a van driven by Skelton, and a van driven by someone else.

Skelton also explained in detail to investigators about wrapping each of the children in a blanket and giving each a stuffed animal, according to court testimony.

“Your explanations have been ridiculous, albeit more sad than anything else,” Judge Noe told Skelton. “You have unilaterally taken it upon yourself to determine their destination. Police and FBI reports are wrought with your worthless explanations. Just plain lies promoting your deception.”

Tanya Zuvers, who took her maiden name after her divorce was finalized in June, told Judge Noe that losing her sons is her worst nightmare.

“Not one minute of the day for the past nine months, two weeks, and six days have the boys been from thoughts. I worry about them. Are they safe, warm, being fed, and most importantly being loved. My fear is that the answer to these questions are no, because no one will ever be able to love those three precious boys like I do,” she said. “I take comfort in the fact that as a Christian, wherever my sons are, God is watching, loving and protecting them for me.”

Ms. Zuvers asked for the maximum punishment and urged Judge Noe from giving Skelton the chance for early release. She said that the boys had been looking forward to playing fall sports, with Alexander and Tanner on soccer teams and Andrew participating in his first year of football.

“I see his friends going to practice and know that he should be here to enjoy this new experience,” she said.

In her statement, not once did Ms. Zuvers call him the father of their children or her ex-husband, but instead referred to him by “John Skelton” and “defendant.”

“Not once in the past 9 1/2 months has the defendant given the same account of where my sons are or who may have them. His stories are inconsistent and farfetched. I am appalled at the fact that John Skelton doesn’t seem to know, or care, where Andrew Ryan, Alexander William, and Tanner Lucas are,” she said.

John Glaser, Skelton’s court-appointed attorney, said his client gave the boys to an organization because he thought they were being abused by their mother. He said Skelton regrets sending the boys away and believes the group will return them when they are older.

“He wants to see his kids as well,” Mr. Glaser told the judge.

Before learning his sentence, Skelton said: “I do love my boys. I don’t think there has been a day that I haven’t cried at least once or twice. I look at their pictures all the time,” he said. “I would have done things differently if the system didn’t fail me.”

Doug Hartung, senior trial attorney for the prosecutor’s office, lashed out at Skelton, challenging him to confess to what he knows about his sons’ whereabouts.

“His actions disrespect the lives of his sons, Alexander, Andrew, and Tanner. The only real question today is whether Skelton is man enough to finally stand up and finally tell the truth so the mother knows what happened,” Mr. Hartung said. “Does he have the courage to finally tell the truth or will he continue his cowardly ways.”

The assistant prosecutor discounted claims that Skelton made that he sent the boys away to protect them from being abused by their mother.

He said that if he suspected they were being harmed he could have gone to police, told his attorney, or protective services.

In the interview outside the courtroom Chief Weeks said that he doesn’t believe that Skelton gave the boys to an organization.

“There is nothing to indicate in that regard that he has been truthful,” said Chief Weeks.

Contact Mark Reiter at: markreiter@theblade.com or 419-724-6199.

First Published September 15, 2011, 2:31 p.m.