One of the six suspects who entered guilty pleas in two cases, one of which involved the attempted murder of a Hutchinson man was sentenced to 84-months total or 7-years in prison for his part in the case.
Desmund Cantu had earlier entered guilty pleas to aggravated battery, two counts of aggravated burglary and aggravated assault. All other charges including attempted 1st degree murder were dropped by the state as part of a plea agreement.
His attorney, Blake Cooper asked for a non-prison sanction citing his age at 19 and admits he has had some scrapes with the law as a juvenile but told the court he believes his client could make it on community corrections. But, Senior Assistant District Attorney Steve Maxwell argued against it reminding the judge that Cantu was armed with a gun and threatened another person present. He wanted 100-months total in prison.
The defendant spoke asking that he be given a chance to show he is not the kind of person he is portrayed as being and said if the victims were here, he would apologize to them.
Judge Chambers told Cantu that he’s 19, a young man and that he has to take responsibility for his actions. He says it was very possible that the victim, Jeffrey Payne could have died from his injuries. He says it may have been “divine intervention” that he didn’t. He sentenced him to the 7-years in prison.
Joseph LeShore was also scheduled for court Friday for a status hearing on the charges against him where it was thought he might enter a plea in the case, but apparently no deal has been reached thus far, so Judge Chambers continued the hearing till a later date.
The other suspects accused with the beating and stabbing of Jeffrey Payne also includes Jordon LeShore, John Robert Cantu, Troy Bell and Sean Arevalo-Mendoza.
The attack on Payne occurred back on February 18, when the these suspects allegedly broke into Payne’s home and physically attacked and stabbed him numerous times in the leg and torso.