CALIFORNIA BRIEFING / LOS ANGELES

Two Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies pleaded guilty Thursday to assault and battery charges in the off-duty beating of a firefighter and were sentenced to three years’ probation.

Deputies Joshua Titel and Brian Richards, both 32, entered the pleas after a grand jury indicted them last fall in the beating and kicking of Firefighter Stephen Paige in San Dimas in June 2007. Paige underwent several weeks of medical treatment after the attack, according to prosecutors.

Titel pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of assault by means of force likely to produce great bodily injury. Richards pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of battery.

The deputies originally faced assault charges that could have yielded sentences of up to seven years in prison. Norwalk Superior Court Judge Beverly Reid O’Connell sentenced each defendant to three years of probation.

Titel was also ordered to perform 200 hours of community service, complete a one-year anger management program and attend 52 Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. In addition, he was ordered not to own or possess a firearm during his probation. That will effectively prevent him from serving as a law enforcement officer.

Richards was ordered to perform 50 hours of community service, but no firearms restriction was placed on him.

Both men must pay restitution to Paige and were ordered to return July 2 for a hearing to determine the amount.

Sheriff’s spokesman Steve Whitmore said the pair were relieved of duty without pay after the October indictment and would remain in that status until an internal misconduct review was completed. He said the case was investigated by sheriff’s detectives and presented to the district attorney.

-- Richard Winton