A former Adams County deputy was sentenced Monday to the mandatory minimum of five years in prison for punching a restrained teenager during a 2011 disturbance call.

David Morrow, 30, faced a maximum of 16 years in jail after being convicted in August of felony second-degree assault and misdemeanor charges of third-degree assault and child abuse.

Morrow told the judge on Monday he was sorry, not because of his legal problems, but because the teen “was injured. Words can’t really express my regret.”

June 12, 2011, Morrow responded to 8790 Welby Road in Adams County at about 1:10 a.m.

There he found a 15-year-old boy who appeared to be highly intoxicated. The boy was combative and his parents could not be located, so police decided to take him to the hospital. The teen was in an ambulance, on a gurney with his feet and hands restrained, when Morrow punched him in the face with a closed fist.

Morrow was fired on July 28, 2011.

Adams County Judge Katherine Rose Delgado ordered a new pre-sentence investigation report and said she will consider a request to set a hearing later this year to reconsider the sentence.

Defense attorney Donald Sisson argued the case was so “exceptional and unusual” that it should merit another look at the sentence.

Sisson said the jury found evidence that Morrow intended to use his fist as a deadly weapon.

“We’re really in a situation where anytime anyone punches anybody, I guess you could say they intended to use their fist as a deadly weapon,” Sisson said.

Morrow’s mother, Jan Morrow, asked the judge for leniency, detailing her son’s his past volunteer work with the community.

“During his five years as an Explorer and seven more as a deputy, he dedicated himself to his job,” she said. “David protected and defended a good number of people. That was his duty.”

Prosecutor Trevor Moritzky, who had suggested a longer prison term, pointed out that Morrow initially did not take responsibility for his actions, claiming he had punched the boy in self-defense. Moritzky said at some point claimed other officers lied about the incident.

“Were it not for the fact that he was a police officer, would the court still have the same sympathy?” Moritzky asked in court.

Yesenia Robles: 303-954-1372, yrobles@denverpost.com or twitter.com/yeseniarobles