Frank Lewis Blanco, 28, and Destinee Guerrero, 24, pleaded responsible in June to carjacking with the intent to motive dying or severe physically hurt in connection to the November beating of the rideshare driver at a fuel station in the 3000 block of Ella.
U.S. District Judge David Hittner sentenced Blanco to 10 years in prison and Guerrero to six years. Both had been additionally sentenced to 3 years of supervised unlock following their prison phrases.
The couple ordered a trip on a Sunday morning close to Tidwell and the Eastex Freeway in northeast Houston, in accordance to police. For the following part hour, they directed the driver to move to other places sooner than they reached the fuel station, in accordance to police
MORE ON HOUSTONCHRONICLE.COM: Houston guy pleads responsible to 2019 killing of transgender woman
In a news unlock, lawyers for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas mentioned Blanco and Guerrero then knocked the driver subconscious and stomped on him sooner than stealing his Honda HRV and pockets.
The assault lasted a minimum of 5 mins, in accordance to prosecutors. The sufferer suffered a damaged nostril, damaged orbital socket and a concussion, amongst different accidents. The sufferer is an immigrant who works to enhance a spouse and kids.
Police recognized Blanco and Guerrero as suspects after receiving information thru an nameless tipline, in accordance to charging paperwork. Both had been arrested on federal fees in February, in accordance to court docket data. They had been each taken into custody following their responsible pleas.
“Blanco and Guerrero’s actions tear apart the fabric of our community by targeting those who keep our community running,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge David Martinez of the FBI Houston field office. “They disguised themselves as passengers to savagely beat and rob a car-share driver trying to earn an honest living. These two attackers not only robbed their victim of his livelihood but his sense of security. We hope today’s sentence demonstrates to these types of criminals, and others still out there, that we will not allow them to target and terrorize hard-working members of our community.”
Carjacking is a federal crime when the car concerned was once “transported, shipped, or received in interstate or foreign commerce.” A prison grievance filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas displays the FBI argued the assault are compatible the crime, since the sufferer’s SUV was once manufactured in Mexico.
[/gpt3]