DC Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffinan sentenced Jinmar Fuentes to 60 months in prison on May 2 for a shooting and assault that occurred in 2022.
Fuentes, 23 pled guilty to one count of aggravated assault and one count of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence for a shooting that stemmed from an assault on two male victims in a robbery attempt on July 31, 2022, on the 2000 block of 14th Street, NW.
Neither party had additional information to present to Judge Raffinan at the time of the hearing. However, Fuentes’ attorney, Jesse Winograd, spoke on Fuentes’ behavior after being in prison.
Winograd explained Fuentes completely changed his life after entering the justice system. According to Winograd, Fuentes has joined Young Men Emerging, a program that pairs older incarcerating individuals with younger inmates in prison. The goal is to mentor and eventually prevent recidivism.
The man in charge of the program, told Winograd that Fuentes is “one of my success stories, Mr. Fuentes came in a completely different person than he is now. I know Mr. Fuentes can do great things.”
“As a God fearing man I pray that you are able to forgive me for my actions,” Fuentes told the court, adding he is remorseful for the damage he caused to the victims and his family.
Additionally, Fuentes stated his goal is to create a better life for himself and his family, saying, “I am committed to change and action… I want to use the credits I earned through Georgetown University to graduate with a degree in business and open up a restaurant. I pledge to do better”
Judge Raffinan took all the facts into consideration, emphasizing the severity of the crime committed. She argued that despite no one being killed during the incident, Fuentes put countless people in danger. Still, Judge Raffinan acknowledged the changes Fuentes is making in his life, especially in Young Men Emerging.
Judge Raffinan said, “I do not think based upon the information in front of me that there be a sentence below or above the mandatory minimum” and imposed a sentence of five years of incarceration and three years of supervised release.
In closing, Judge Raffinan said if Fuentes maintains good behavior after his release, the Youth Rehabilitation Act will eventually set aside his conviction and allow him to start over with a clean slate.
No further dates were set.
