SANDPOINT — A Bonner County man will spend the next 25 years in prison for the nearly fatal abuse of a child in early 2025.  

Jordan Gabor, 29, received the maximum sentence Tuesday on felony charges of injury to child and second-degree kidnapping, which have a maximum of 25 years and 10 years in prison, respectively.  

The two sentences will run concurrently with one another, meaning they will run at the same time, and Gabor will be required to serve a fixed, total term of 25 years. He will not be eligible for parole.  

During an hour-long sentencing, over 20 individuals sat in to watch District Judge Lamount Berecz hand the sentence down from the bench.  

Victim impact statements were submitted to the court before the time of the hearing, including one from Taleea Martin, who was sentenced to 10 years in prison for permitting Gabor’s acts on the child. The child’s foster mom was the only one to read aloud her victim statement.  

In the statement, the woman went in-depth on the child’s trauma, noting significant bruising, wounds, and other visible trauma resulting from Gabor’s abuse. She went on to disclose the hardships in caring for the child, whose body “was constantly in survivor mode,” and lacked comfort in contact.  

She went on to talk about a small moment of victory; a giggle. The women stressed that the sound of the little boy’s laughter marked a turning point for their fight to provide a consistent and safe place for the boy. She further indicated that the everyday efforts to provide the boy with care and safety were continual reminders of the level of abuse he had endured.  

“Healing does not mean the harm is undone. There are visible scars on his body that will be there forever. I pray that he never remembers the abuse,” she said. “His scars show that he’s a survivor and a fighter.” 

In giving his recommendation to the court, Prosecutor Louis Marshall noted that a maximum sentence is rarely given to an individual as young as Gabor but felt the 25-year punishment was warranted for the abuse he caused to the 22-month-old.  

Marshall continued to hit on the trauma endured by Gabor, and noted the only positive side of the case was the easy collaboration among states, businesses, doctors, Child Protective Services, and other applicable businesses, all of which rallied together to help and bring justice to the boy.  

“The agitating factor is not just the depth of the injuries, but that there’s no doubt and question that this was ongoing and occurred over and over,” Marshall said.   

He further noted that Gabor’s difficult childhood, which was outlined in a pre-sentencing investigation sheet, was not a mitigatable factor in the sentencing recommendation.  

Defense attorney Dana Bowes asked that Gabor be sentenced as a participant in the crime, not a sole aggressor, alluding to Martin’s role in the case.  

She went on to describe Gabor’s childhood, which was filled with extensive abuse and neglect. Bowes further indicated his own opinion of himself because of his childhood, where he often had thoughts of “deep self-hatred and worthlessness.” 

“At one point, he was a child needing protection, and he didn’t get it,” Bowes said.  

Before Berecz made his decision, Gabor apologized to the court.  

“I’m pretty broken, but that’s not an excuse. I’m probably, not probably ... I am going to prison. I hope [—] can be okay, I’m really sorry about what I did,” Gabor said.    

In closing sentiments, Berecz noted the thousand-or-so documents that he reviewed until this point and used the same terminology in Martin’s sentencing to describe the horrifying nature of the case.  

“I’m continuing to try my best not to get choked up, but I’ve seen a lot. I’ve presided over murder trials, rape cases, and this is on the outer edge of the worst I’ve seen. It’s almost indescribable, he (victim) would have died,” Berecz said.  

He further said that the harm that Gabor faced as a child was horrible, but that it could not be used as an excuse to justify his actions in this case. Berecz also noted Gabor’s past abuse of others and the similar patterns and said he believed Gabor would commit those acts again if presented with an opportunity. The acts of violence, said Berecz, were very extreme and deserved a punishment-like sentence instead of a rehabilitative sentence.  

“Rarely do we see someone at your age get 25 years fixed, outside of murder, but you deserve that sentence for what you did,” Berecz said.  

At the end of the hearing, Berecz thanked the courtroom and all the individuals involved in the case, including but not limited to law enforcement, medical personnel and the foster family of the child.  

“Without everyone’s involvement, that little boy would not be here today,” Berecz said while trying to keep his composure and looking at a picture of him from several weeks ago. “I look forward to seeing his recovery.”