- Tony Arnold Bernstone was sentenced to four years of probation after chasing a boy who doorbell ditched him in Salt Lake City.
- He was also ordered to self deport to New Zealand within 60 days and not return to Utah during the four years.
- Charging documents say he attacked a 12-year-old boy and held him until his parents arrived.
SALT LAKE CITY — A Salt Lake man who admitted to chasing a 12-year-old who "doorbell ditched" him and then forcefully holding the boy until his parents arrived has been sentenced to four years of probation.
Tony Arnold Bernstone, 59, pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of child kidnapping, a second-degree felony, on April 7 as part of a plea deal. In exchange, a charge of child abuse, a class A misdemeanor, was dismissed. The kidnapping charge was originally a first-degree felony.
Third District Judge Richard Pehrson sentenced Bernstone to one to 15 years in prison, but suspended the prison time in favor of four years of probation and five days in jail. Pehrson gave Berstone credit for five days he previously served.
As part of his probation, Bernstone was also ordered to self deport to New Zealand within 60 days and to not return to Utah during the probation.
The incident happened on Aug. 1, 2025, at Bernstone's Sugar House home. After boys rang his doorbell, Bernstone got on a bicycle and chased the 12-year-old and his friends, eventually catching up to them at an elementary school and then pushing the boy against a gate. Charging documents say he forced the boy to the ground, slapped him multiple times in the face and punched him in the stomach.
In his report to police, the 12-year-old said he was forced to call his parents while Bernstone held his shirt to keep him from running away. One of his friends said Bernstone had told the boy that he was going to "beat the living shiz out of you." That boy went to call his parents from across the street, and watched Bernstone hold his friend back and "drag" him to a gas station.
"(Bernstone's) reaction to what is perceived to be a silly childhood game of ding-dong ditch was concerning and over the top," prosecutors wrote in court documents.
When he was questioned, Bernstone denied punching the child and claimed he only inflicted "light little slaps."
