Long sentence for Billy Casper's son

David Casper, the son of two-time U.S. Open champion Billy Casper, was sentenced today to more than 100 years in state prison for a 1999 crime spree that included burglarizing his parents' home and stealing a family car.

Superior Court Judge Frederic Link sentenced Casper to 104 years and eight months in prison under California's ''Three Strikes'' law because of a prior burglary conviction.

''I'm very, very sorry for what I've done to my family,'' Casper said. ''I would change everything if I could.''

Casper, 28, pleaded guilty in April to 35 felony counts, including armed robbery, carjacking and false imprisonment.

At the time, Link said he was considering a sentence that would allow Casper to become a free man one day. But the judge changed his mind after reviewing the law.

''I'm giving this sentence because I have to,'' Link said, noting the sentence was one of the toughest he has ever meted out. The judge called the long sentence ''a message from society.''

Casper admitted that he committed the holdups over 34 days in October and November 1999 to support a drug habit. According to his lawyer, he was high on methamphetamine and heroin when he committed crimes on nearly a daily basis.

He burglarized his parents' home and drove off with his sister's car, stole another car at gunpoint, robbed people in parking lots and held up area businesses.

He then fled to Las Vegas, where he continued robbing businesses until his arrest.

Billy Casper was in court but did not address the court. His wife made a plea for leniency.

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