NASHVILLE (AP) — A woman was sentenced Monday to 20 years in prison for kidnapping a 4-day-old boy in Tennessee while claiming to be an immigration agent.
Tammy Silas of Ardmore, Ala., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Todd Campbell for her guilty plea in the 2009 kidnapping of Yair Anthony Carillo.
According to the plea agreement, Silas targeted Maria Gurrolla, a native Mexican, at a food assistance office and went to her home. Authorities say Silas, 39 at the time, stabbed the woman and snatched away the baby, who was found unharmed three days later at Silas' home in Alabama.
No ransom was ever requested, and Silas apparently just wanted a child, according to officials.
Silas told the court she would be unable to pay the more than $30,000 in restitution that the judge has ordered.
"I have had nothing ... never will," she said tearfully.
Gurrolla, who was 30 at the time, told the court on Monday that her family is still affected by the kidnapping. She said her three other children have struggled in school and have nightmares.
"It's impossible to put down on paper the suffering," said Gurrolla, whose statement in Spanish was translated into English by an interpreter. "But nothing compares to the happiness of having our son once again in our arms."
Gurrolla then asked the judge if she could address the defendant, telling her: "For all the harm you have done to me, for trying to take my life away ... I forgive you in the name of our lord Jesus Christ."

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NASHVILLE (AP) — Tennessee tax collections in June exceeded state budget estimates for the 11th straight month.
State officials said June revenue was $1.07 billion, or $31.8 million more than budgeted.
Finance and Administration Commissioner Mark Emkes said sales tax collections were $28.8 million more than the estimate, accounting for much of the surplus.
On an accrual basis, June is the 11th month in the 2010-11 fiscal year.

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COOKEVILLE (AP) — Tennessee Tech University president Bob Bell has announced plans to retire next July.
Bell has been president for 12 years and has been at the school for 36 years, including dean of the College of Business.
According to the Cookeville Herald-Citizen, he disclosed his plans in a message to the campus community.
The Tennessee Board of Regents will pick his successor.

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GREENEVILLE (AP) — A Morristown man has been sent to prison for 14 years in his 14th robbery case. The 2009 stickup of a Dollar General Store turned out to involve a BB gun.
A statement from the U.S. attorney's office in Knoxville says a federal judge sentenced 32-year-old Ronnie Lee Dawson to 170 months in prison. Dawson pleaded guilty in February. His prior 13 robbery convictions were in state court.
About three months before the BB gun robbery at the store in June 2009, Dawson had been released from state prison. He served less than five years of a 16-year sentence and was on parole for the 13 prior robberies.
U.S. District Judge Ronnie Greer at the Monday sentencing reminded Dawson there is no parole in the federal system.