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By
Marissa Stambaugh
- November 13, 2024
Carjacking
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Daily Stories
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Suspects
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Victims
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On Nov. 13 DC Superior Court Judge Heidi Pasichow sentenced a defendant to six months incarceration, with 18 months probation transferred to Virginia.
Guilbert Rojas Villarroel, 40, on July 17, 2024 accepted a guilty plea to robbery, first-degree theft and threatening to kidnap or injure a person for his alleged involvement in a carjacking incident that occurred on the 2000 block of L Street NW on Sept. 9, 2023.
Prosecution in their sentencing requests stated that due to the nature of the crime, the danger to society and the impact on the victims punishment was warranted. They recommended 28 months all but six suspended for robbery and ten months time suspended for both threats to kidnap, and harm to an individual and first-degree theft.
Prosecutors say one of the victims no longer goes to the District of Columbia anymore because of the incident. As a result he is losing income because DC was the most lucrative market for his food delivery services.
Defense attorney Christopher Mutimer asked for a suspended sentence. While Villarroel realizes that there is no way to justify his actions he has no criminal history.
Furthermore, he has strong family support is a business owner in Virginia attesting that he is not a danger to society. Mutimer said his client made a mistake under the influence and is facing the consequences.
Rojas Villarroel is remorseful and he acknowledged that in letters that he wrote to both victims. Since the incident he has taken concrete steps to pull his life together through substance abuse programs, according to his attorney.
The defendant’s family members say they would suffer if Rojas Villarroel was jailed because he has two children to raise. The family asked the judge for leniency so Rojas Villarroel can continue in his car business in Virginia.
Judge Heidi Pasichow acknowledged this incident has been a huge wake up call for Rojas Villarroel and she takes into account his family support, personal growth and compliance with release conditions. However, she has to consider there is no proof that he was intoxicated on the night of the incident and that his threats to the hijack victim were highly dangerous.
Given the need for deterrence and that Rojas Villarroel does have some traffic and vehicle registration offenses some jail time is in order, she said.
Therefore, Judge Pasichow sentenced Rojas Villarroel for robbery to 28 months with 22 suspended–ultimately being six months confinement–with the three years of supervised release being suspended to 18 months.
For the other two charges of first degree theft and threatening to kidnap or injure a person, the term is reduced to are time served along with the 18 months probation. The sentences are concurrent.
No further hearings were scheduled in the case.