DC Superior Court Judge Judith Pipe imposed a partially suspended sentence for a stabbing defendant on Sept. 26.
Walter Romero-Ventura, 32, was initially charged with kidnapping while armed and assault with a dangerous weapon for his involvement in a kidnapping and stabbing on May 6, 2024, on the 1300 block of 15th Street, NW. Romero was arrested on May 20, 2024.
According to court documents, the victim, his then-girlfriend, said Romero-Ventura allegedly forced her into a vehicle, stabbed her with a knife or box cutter and threatened to kill her.
During the hearing, Romero-Ventura accepted a deal that required him to plead guilty to simple assault and felony contempt. In exchange, all other charges were dropped and the prosecution did not seek an indictment.
The prosecution read the victim’s impact statement addressing how women are common targets of domestic abuse.
“No more women should keep being victims. We are worth a lot,” the victim wrote.
The prosecution argued that Romero-Ventura had a “complete lack of remorse” for his actions and continues to blame the victim rather than take accountability.
The prosecution asked for supervised release but did not think Romero-Ventura is fit for probation because he is not trustworthy. They highlighted that those who sent the defendant letters of support are “completely in the dark” about his infidelity regarding the victim and emphasized that he violated the judge’s stay-away order.
Judge Pipe asked whether the victim wants a stay-away order because she can only impose one if she puts Romero-Ventura on probation. The prosecution did not know the answer.
Jude Pipe noted even though she imposed a stay-away order, the U.S. Parol Commission is not obligated to enforce it. According to the Legal Information Institute at Cornell Law School, the parol commission has the “sole authority” to enforce release conditions.
Meanwhile, Romero-Ventura’s defense attorney Henry Escoto said the defendant called the victim, thereby violating the stay-away order, because the victim contacted someone who knows him and he succumbed to the pressure.
Escoto asked for a suspended sentence with one year of probation and conditions imposed by the court.
“It wasn’t his intention to cause [the victim] any harm. … Sometimes things can be lost in translation,” Escoto said.
Escoto refuted the prosecution’s argument, arguing Romero-Ventura does not blame the victim “for what happened” but rather blames himself for “putting himself in this situation.”
Escoto added that Romero-Ventura is not in court for infidelity, dismissing that prosecution argument;
“There was no violence on his part,” Escoto argued. “We don’t see that on the .”
Romero-Ventura apologized to the victim and apologized for violating the judge’s order.
“This happened during a time of weakness and depression I was going through,” Romero-Ventura said.
Judge Pipe acknowledged the defendant has no criminal history but remained concerned that he violated the only condition she imposed, which was the stay-away order–common in domestic dispute cases.
“I’m not sure that this is an anomaly,” Judge Pipe said.
However, she agreed to give him probation and a longer suspension, of nine months, than the prosecution asked for.
“I’m going to give [him] an opportunity,” Judge Pipe said.
Judge Pipe said, based on the victim impact statement, it sounds like the victim wants a stay-away order. Judge Pipe said what the victim wants is most important to her.
“You have to stay away and have no contact with [the victim],” Judge Pipe said to Romero-Ventura.
She explained that if he violates the order at her encouragement, he will be arrested.
Judge Pipe sentenced Romero-Venture to 180 days for simple assault and 11 months, with all but two suspended, for contempt. Romero-Ventura will also serve three years of supervised release and one year of probation. These sentences run consecutively to each other.
No future hearings were scheduled.
