8/10/07
Gang Member Sentenced To 50 Years
By CASEY KNAUPP
Staff Writer

An admitted gang member was sentenced to 50 years in prison Friday for burglarizing a Tyler home while two young girls were inside.

Juan Alex Fuentes, 18, was found guilty by a jury in 114th District Judge Cynthia Stevens Kent's court July 11 of the first-degree felony engaging in organized criminal activity - committing burglary as a criminal street gang member.

The defendant, who elected to have the judge assess his punishment, was sentenced by Judge Kent. He faced up to life in prison.

Veronica Aguilar, 14, testified she was lying in bed, with her younger sister sleeping beside her on Dec. 8, when she heard loud footsteps in the house. Two men came into her bedroom and began going through her drawers. After she asked them what they were doing, they ran out. She said she recognized Fuentes, who had done electrical work in their home a few days earlier. The girl took her 3-year-old sister and crawled out a window before fleeing to a neighbor's house.

The girl's mother testified that jewelry, including wedding rings and a watch, were taken from her bedroom.

According to witnesses, after Fuentes burglarized their house, he and the other man, dressed in the Nortenos gang colors, ran to a nearby house and tried to burglarize another home, Assistant Smith County District Attorney Richard Vance said during the trial.

Fuentes, who had multiple gang-related tattoos, admitted to being a gang member during an interview with police.

Defense attorney Bobby Mims represented Fuentes, while Assistant District Attorney Jason Parrish also prosecuted the case.


Casey Knaupp covers county, state and federal courts. She can be reached at 903.596.6289. e-mail: news@tylerpaper.com


http://www.tylerpaper.com/apps/pbcs.dll ... /708110318