Sebastiano Quagliata and Valbona Lucaj reach deal after dogs mauled Craig Sytsma to death

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Father-of-three Craig Sytsma was mauled to death in Michigan last year
Dog owners Sebastiano Quagliata and wife Valbona Lucaj agreed to plea deal Friday to around 15 years in jail, though judge could add six months
Sytsma was jogging in July 2014 when the two cane corsos attacked him
He was bitten almost ten times and was 'screaming and begging' for help

By Mia De Graaf and Evan Bleier For Dailymail.com and Associated Press

Published: 23:16 EST, 24 April 2015 | Updated: 03:00 EST, 25 April 2015

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The owners of two dogs that got loose and mauled a jogger to death in Michigan pleaded no contest on Friday to a reduced charge.

Sebastiano Quagliata and his wife, Valbona Lucaj, pleaded no contest to owning a dangerous dog causing death in the fatal mauling last summer of Craig Sytsma of Livonia, The Flint Journal reported.

'I'm so sorry,' Lucaj told Sytsma's family.

Sytsma, 46, was attacked by two cane corsos last July in Metamora Township, 45 miles northwest of Detroit.

Sebastiano Quagliata (pictured) and his wife, Valbona Lucaj, pleaded no contest to owning a dangerous dog causing death in the fatal mauling of Craig Sytsma of Livonia, Michigan, and agreed to 15 years in jail

Lucaj (left), a native of Albania, and Quagliata, of Italy, could be deported after serving their sentences

Sytsma, 46, was attacked by two cane corsos last July in Metamora Township, 45 miles northwest of Detroit

The father-of-three was bitten some eight times by two hundred-pound cane corsos while jogging in Metamora Township in July, and was 'screaming and begging' for help in his final minutes.

Lapeer County Prosecutor Tim Turkelson predicts a sentence of at least 19 months in prison when the two return to court on June 8.

The two have been in custody for months and were facing a second-degree murder charge before making the plea deal.

Lucaj, a native of Albania, and Quagliata, a native of Italy, could be deported after serving their sentences.

They had 'no intention to do anything to hurt anyone,' defense attorney Jason Malkiewicz said.

'I think today was the first day my clients got to sit over there and accept responsibly for actions,' he said.

'I think the death of Mr Sytsma has sat in their heads for a year and it's been a nightmare to my clients, as well as everyone involved.'

Attorney Glenn Saltsman said the Sytsma family is satisfied with the plea deal, although he believes laws covering dangerous dogs are 'archaic and weak'.

There was evidence that the dogs had attacked other people on the road.

'These dogs should've never been alive after the first attack,' Saltsman said.

The father-of-three was bitten some eight times by two hundred-pound cane corsos while jogging in July

Attorney Glenn Saltsman said the Sytsma family is satisfied with the plea deal. The sentencing will be in June

During the attack, one neighbor, a medic, used a belt as a tourniquet to stop Sytsma's bleeding.

Helen Barwig had to pause the rescue efforts momentarily while the massive dogs came back.

'I'm bleeding out,' a desperate Sytsma told his rescuer, according to the Detroit Free Press. 'I'm dying.'

He 'was losing a lot of blood and begged her to not let him die,' police wrote about incident.

It took another neighbor, Barwig's boyfriend Edward Elmer, firing his .44-caliber Magnum at the dogs to end the attack. He struck one of the animals in the leg.

Sytsma only had time to tell Barwig that his name was Craig before losing consciousness. He was rushed to a local hospital but soon died of his injuries.

His dramatic final moments were revealed in response to a request by the Free Press under Michigan's Freedom of Information Act.

The attack was the third since 2012 involving canines from Lucaj and Quagliata's property, officials said

The police records show the two dogs had run loose for months in the small rural community, attacking at least two neighbors months before they killed Sytsma.

Some neighbors began to arm themselves, including the man whose shots eventually scared the cane corsos as Sytsma laid dying.

The attack was the third since 2012 involving canines from Lucaj and Quagliata's property, officials said.

'Animal control should have done something,' said April Smith, who was bitten in May 2012 while walking her two dogs.

Cane corsos are Italian dogs that are 'not to be trifled with', according to the American Kennel Club.

The AKC report about the breed said: 'Topping out at nearly 28 inches at the shoulder and often weighing more than 100 pounds, with a large head, alert expression, and muscular frame, Cane Corsi are at a glance intimidating creatures.'

'Bred as guard dogs for centuries, their imposing appearance is their first line of defense against intruders.'