CORPUS CHRISTI — Last week a judge gave a graffiti vandal the maximum sentence: eight years. But it turns out the most he can serve is two.
Sebastian Perez, 18, pleaded guilty Dec. 11 to three graffiti charges along with possession of marijuana, all state jail felonies.
He admitted to a spray-painting spree that lasted from March to August and caused more than $7,300 in damages.
He gave a tearful plea to 148th District Judge Marisela Saldaña for probation. Instead she had handed down the maximum two years in state jail on each count and stacked the sentences.
But Perez’s attorney, Steven Giovannini filed motions on Thursday asking the graffiti terms either be redone to run at the same time or reduced to probation.
He cited law that says if a defendant is found guilty of more than one offense arising out of the same criminal episode and prosecuted in a single action, the sentences must run concurrently. There are some exceptions, but he said none applied.
He also pointed out in another motion that judges are required to place defendants on probation for a first-time felony marijuana charge in cases where the amount is less than a pound and the defendant has no prior felony convictions. Both instances applied in Perez’s case.
Saldaña brought Perez back to court. She ordered he serve the three, two-year graffiti sentences at the same time along with two years probation on the drug charge.
District Attorney Carlos Valdez said his office had been pleased Perez received eight years, but after talking to his attorney agreed that it had to comply with the law.
Valdez added prosecutors would continue to seek the maximum sentence for graffiti vandals.
Giovannini said on Friday that Perez had shown remorse for his actions long before his guilty pleas. He said even when he visited Perez in county jail on Tuesday Perez had talked of wanting to join a graffiti cleanup crew before being transferred to state jail.
“He was really repentant and remorseful,” he said.
Via:www.caller.com
Tags: CORPUS CHRISTI Graffiti, Dumb Shit, Judge Marisela Saldaña, Sebastian Perez, Texas Graffiti
soo wuh happen he got 2years oor what? the judge was a fukin floozy anyways…tryin to make a name for her self 8 years for 7 g’s damage check my flikr i did that in a hour chill at an amtrak yard come on….there was jus no need for that
That’s some craziness right there. I remember wayback when all we got was community service hours. And in Texas of all places?? mustn’t be enough murderers and drug dealers in jail that they have space to house a writer for 8 years.
I remember those days Gone84,
The first time I was cought tagging I was given a fine and community service. Still didn’t learn my lesson but how can you teach a kid in a such a way? only time will change someone not just over night.
Anyways today’s taggers need to watch out is a lot more crazy now.
wtf.!”·$%&/()= its unveliable…!!
http://ready4riots.blogspot.com/ (are u?)
peace
Saldana is trying to force my son and his wife to give their baby to a man that did not even have to establish paternity and has been stalking his wife.
Carlos Valdez prosecuted my son for breaking a Whataburger window for a state jail felony. There was entry to the Whataburger and nothing was stolen. It took us 5 years in this broken justice system to get it straightend out.
You should check out the people they give passes to.
that should nave been NO NO NO NO NO entry into the Whatburger.