Carjacking suspect pleads guilty
A carjacking suspect pleaded guilty last week, but he never actually stole the automobile in question, prosecutors said.
In custody at a scheduled arraignment hearing, Jeremiah Jim, 25, address unknown, pleaded guilty to felony attempted aggravated motor vehicle theft on Thursday, June 4. Tentatively accepted by Chief District Court Judge Doug Walker, the plea deal calls for Jim to serve 18 months in a halfway house. He’ll be sentenced July 21.
“The car was never actually stolen,” said District Attorney Will Furse.
Jim was arrested by the Cortez Police Department and charged with attempted aggravated robbery, attempted motor vehicle theft and third-degree assault on May 12. The alleged victim, while parked on the 200 block of Park Street, told police that Jim pounded on the window and yelled for him to exit.
After exiting the vehicle, the suspect reportedly grabbed the alleged victim, and a struggle ensued. The alleged victim told police that he walked to the library to get help, and never gave up his keys.
At the time of his arrest, Jim reportedly had a blood alcohol content of .184.
Man gets 5 days in child-abuse case
A Cortez man was sentenced to five days in jail last week after pleading guilty to misdemeanor child-abuse charges.
Out of custody at a sentencing hearing, Sonnie Gustamantez, 25, was allowed to report to the Montezuma County jail on June 10. The jail term will be followed by 18 months of supervised probation, which includes outpatient alcohol treatment, random alcohol and drug tests, parenting classes, mental health and domestic violence evaluations and any recommended treatments.
Public defender Katherine Whitney argued that her client not be jailed, saying he had remained sober for 10 months since the alleged incident and that he was needed at home to help care for a 6-day-old baby.
“My client wants to be a positive man, a positive father,” said Whitney.
Prosecutors said they would be unable to prove the case was an act of domestic violence because witnesses couldn’t be contacted.
The alleged victim, the defendant’s wife, said Gustamantez had changed and was a more involved parent.
Allegedly intoxicated, Gustamantez was arrested after threatening his pregnant fiancée and a friend with a 6-inch knife last August. He reportedly fled the scene with two children in the vehicle, placing their safety at risk.
Judge questions deal in jail-escape attempt
A judge expressed his disapproval of a backroom deal last week, but said his hands were tied.
“The defendant worked in concert with a convicted killer, and you’re going to defer prosecution?” Chief District Court Judge Doug Walker asked prosecutors.
At a scheduled plea hearing, District Attorney Will Furse announced that a diversion agreement had been reached with Skylan Brassil, 22, of Mancos. Furse explained that a private company would monitor the defendant while he submitted to sobriety testing and mental health treatment. Furse added a felony charge of escape could be prosecuted at a later date if the defendant failed to comply.
Walker reluctantly accepted, citing he couldn’t force the case be prosecuted.
According to authorities, Brassil reportedly helped a convicted murder try to escape the Montezuma County jail last fall.
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