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From: Lynn on 10 Jun 2010 08:00
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2010/jun/09/oxnard-pair-found-guilty-of-carjacking-and/

A jury Wednesday found two defendants guilty of carjacking and
second-degree robbery along with other felonies in connection with
stealing a car from an Oxnard farmworker earlier this year.

Maria Martinez, 39, and Emmanuel Vasquez, 22, both of Oxnard, stole the
car of Leonardo Castillo after he had parked it in the middle of the 300
block of Canterbury Way in Oxnard on the rainy evening of Jan. 17.

Prosecutor Tate McCallister said in an interview that this crime was
insidious because criminals like Vasquez and Martinez target non-English
speaking migrant workers. He said these farmworkers aren't likely to
call the police.

“They feed off the weak. It's particularly offensive,” McCallister said.

Castillo testified he was waiting for a female friend when an armed man
and woman stole his car. Castillo said the man put the gun to his head;
he grabbed it and the gun slide fell out.

He testified the man yanked him out of the car, and the two suspects
drove away with the vehicle minus the gun slide.

McCallister said Oxnard police officers found the car, the two suspects,
drugs and the weapon without the gun slide inside Martinez's purse about
90 minutes after the crime was reported. The suspects were about three
miles away from Canterbury Way.

“They (officers) did an outstanding job. They worked very fast,” he said.

Jurors also found Martinez and Vasquez guilty of being felons in
possession of a firearm, unlawful taking of a vehicle, possession of
drugs and using a gun during the commission of a crime. Vasquez was
found not guilty of one count of possessing a controlled substance with
a firearm. Vasquez who appeared a bit agitated after the verdicts were
read made an outburst in court.

“Your honor, let the record reflect that I want to appeal the
conviction,” Vasquez told the judge, who told him to address the court
through his lawyer, Justin Tuttle.

Tuttle and Martinez's lawyer, Philip Capritto, declined to comment.
During the trial, Tuttle had argued that Castillo was never able to
identify the suspects, and only identified Vasquez after McCallister
stood behind him and asked if he was the culprit.

Tuttle told jurors that Castillo's story was “preposterous and
unbelievable.”

“It's absolutely laughable,” he told jurors. “It didn't happen. It's a lie.”

McCallister said Vasquez is facing 21 years behind bars and Martinez
about 16 years in prison.

Ventura County Superior Court Judge Alan Steele set sentencing for July 13.
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