WATAUGA TEEN WHO GAVE POT TO TODDLERS GETS 8 YEARS

A Watauga man who was caught on video laughing as his 2- and
4-year-old nephews smoked marijuana last year pleaded guilty to
charges in the case Thursday and was sentenced to eight years in
prison, according to the Tarrant County district attorney's office.

Demetris McCoy, 18, pleaded guilty in two cases of injury to a child
causing bodily injury for laughing and poking fun at the boys as they
smoked inside a home.

As part of the plea deal, Mr. McCoy agreed to testify against his
friend and co-defendant Vanswan Polty, 19, who was also seen on the
video.

"This is a sad case from any angle that you look at it," prosecutor
Darrell Davila said. "But the one guarantee is that justice has been
served."

Mr. McCoy faced up to 10 years in the injury-to-a-child cases had they
gone to trial, Mr. Davila said. He also pleaded guilty to two charges
of burglary of a habitation.

The shocking tape gained national attention after Fort Worth police
recovered it as they executed a search warrant at a home in the 6000
block of Hickoryhill Road in Watauga as part of a burglary
investigation. Mr. McCoy and Mr. Polty lived at the home, along with
the children and their mother.

"Just when you reach the point when you think you've seen it all,
there's always a case that comes out that makes you take a step back
and question what one person will do to another," Mr. Davila said.

Mr. Polty faces two cases of injury to a child causing bodily injury
and three burglary charges in a case scheduled to go to trial next
month, Mr. Davila said. He remains in the Tarrant County Jail.