Sentencing Hearing Held for Man Charged With Child Abuse

A sentencing hearing was held Tuesday in Fourth Judicial District Court in Sheridan for a man charged with felony child abuse. Sheridan Media’s Ron Richter has the details.

In August of 2021, 49-year-old Michael Widick was arrested and charged with felony child abuse. At a hearing Tuesday, District Court Judge Darci Phillips accepted the terms of the plea agreement reached with the state and sentenced Widick to a term of 3 to 5 years in prison and ordered him to pay $325 in various court costs and fees.

Widick’s public defender, Jonathan Foreman motioned to have a one-year sentence that Widick is currently serving in jail for driving under the influence with children in his vehicle run concurrent to the prison sentence. Foreman said Widick has approximately 200 days left to serve on the one-year sentence. Judge Phillips granted the motion so that Widick could begin serving the 3 to 5 year prison sentence as soon as possible.