DaytonDailyNews.com

LEBANON — Three Franklin High School students were sentenced to community service, probation and fined for their part in the July 13 killing of two skunks in a Hueston Woods State Park campground with paintball guns.

The three 17-year-old senior football players admitted guilt Aug. 15 to charges of delinquency by way of cruelty to animals, improper methods of taking game birds and wild quadrupeds and disorderly conduct.

One youth told the court they were not proud of what happened, they regretted and didn't mean to kill the animals.

Their lawyer, Joseph Kirby said they were "good kids who did something stupid."

Judge Michael Powell of Warren County Juvenile Court on Wednesday sentenced the boys to a suspended 30 days in the juvenile detention center.

He then ordered them to complete 50 hours of community service in a state park in the next 90 days, apologize in writing to Hueston Woods State Park and submit to regular reporting probation.

He also fined each of them $50 for each of the three charges as well as $40 court costs for each of the charges.

Powell ordered the paintball guns used to be forfeited to the state and to be destroyed and prohibited the students from using, owning or possessing a paintball gun.

Powell told the youths about the "indirect victims" from their actions — putting their coach, team, school and community in a bad light. He said the incident was something that "got out of hand and what happened was wrong." He also said that he did not believe the students were animal abusers.

Franklin High School Principal Dave Gregory noted the boys were good students and would not face any school sanctions.