Man sentenced in six cases

SANDPOINT — A Bonner County man was sentenced on a variety of charges, including for burglary, forgery, and injury to child in First District Court on Friday

Mark Anthony Raider Sebastian, 28, was sentenced for five cases out of Bonner County, and one out of Kootenai County.

Sebastian pleaded guilty in plea agreements in January 2021 and April 2022, in the respective cases for charges of burglary, fraud by possession of a financial transaction card, forgery, and unjustifiable injury to child, as well as two counts of probation violation. All other charges in Sebastian’s cases were dismissed in exchange for the plea agreements.

“Mr. Sebastian, the thing that surprises the court is that in these cases, every single one of them, these are crimes with victims,” said First District Judge Barbara Buchanan.

At Friday’s sentencing, Sebastian faced penalties for offenses from 2020 where he cashed thousands of dollars in forged checks and stole a debit card from a friend which he used to make small purchases.

Sebastian was already serving probation for two cases from 2018 with charges of possession of a controlled substance and burglary.

The mother of the victim in the case for unjustifiable injury to a child gave a victim impact statement on behalf of her daughter during Friday’s sentencing.

“My daughter put her heart and trust in you. You took advantage of that at her darkest time and you knew it,” the woman said. “I am heartbroken. She is not the same anymore. I’m here to tell you, shame on you. But I wish the best for you. I don’t think you’re a bad person, you’ve just made poor choices.”

Sebastian addressed the mother when it was his turn to give a statement.

“I’ve thought about you a lot,” Sebastian said to the woman. “I can tell you I’m sorry, but I don’t know if that will help. I can tell you that I plan on coming out [of this sentence] totally different. But I want you to know that I am sorry.”

At this, the woman asked Buchanan if she could say something in response to Sebastian, which Buchanan allowed.

“I don’t want any bad for you,” she said. “I want the best for you. But you have to do better.”

After this, Buchanan asked Sebastian if he had anything else to say to which Sebastian had no response, despite showing visible display of emotion.

“Certainly you do have to turn your life around,” Buchanan said. “I don’t think a sentence of two years fixed is enough considering that you have four new felonies.”

Buchanan handed down sentences that will run concurrent with one another in all court cases.

Concurrent sentences are instances where time being served for multiple cases happen at the same time, as opposed to consecutively — where one sentence would begin once the other is completed.

Buchanan handed down a 4- to- 10-year sentences in most of the cases, with the exception of those where the maximum penalty equaled less than 10 years incarceration.

During incarceration, two of Sebastian’s cases will close because he will have served the entirety of the sentence.

Upon his release, Sebastian voiced intentions to move to California to escape negative habits and influences.

There are 24/7 resources available for those who wish to seek justice in cases of sexual abuse against minors. LillyBrooke Family Justice Center can be reached at 208-265-3586. Bonner County Dispatch can be reached at 208-265-5525, There is no statute of limitations on these kinds of crimes.