A no-nonsense judge scolded a “high-risk” teen thug as she sentenced him to 25 years in prison over a convenience store robbery.
Judge Raquel West in Texas blasted Caden Fontenette and his two accomplices over how they terrorized a Nederland store clerk before vowing, “There’s got to be something done,” according to KFDM.
Fontenette, 18, and the other two put guns in the staffer’s face after “yanking him around,” the judge said, as the trio went about the crime.
Texas Judge Raquel West scolded Caden Fontenette for how he and his accomplices terrorized a store clerk. KFDM“I cannot imagine the fear that person had that was working in that store. Just trying to go to work, make a living and go home,” she said after watching surveillance video of last October’s stickup at the Bulldog Express store.
Fontenette, reportedly violent while behind bars, pleaded guilty to aggravated robbery charges and chief prosecutor Tommy Coleman called on the judge to throw the book at him.
He suggested the public could be kept safe if Fontenette were behind “steel bars, concrete walls or a steel fence.”
“The message that needs to be sent to this defendant and his circle of friends, and anybody who would want to be like this defendant, is that if you pick up a gun with the intent to commit violence, you’re going to pick up a 15-, 20-, 25-year prison sentence,” Coleman said.
“Judge, I’m just asking that you do this on behalf of the people who just want to live in peace.”
The robbery was caught on surveillance video. Port Arthur Police DepartmentDefense attorney Charles Rojas lobbied for probation, claiming his client was a young offender with a “limited criminal history” — but this was rejected by the judge after she cited records about the crook’s behavior while locked up.
“You apparently like to fight and jump people. That’s what’s been happening in jail,” she said.
“So it makes it very difficult for me to go, ‘This is somebody that’s going to get out and behave, who can follow the rules,’ because you can’t even follow the rules in jail. The pre-sentence report shows you’re at a high risk level.
Fontenette was given a 25-year prison sentence. JCSO“That tells me that after they looked at everything, that you don’t unfortunately have a good likelihood of being successful if I were to put you on probation.”
The verdict sparked fury in the courtroom and West even acknowledged it was “harsh,” but stuck by her ruling.
“I hope that you go and make things right,” she said.
“You can get out of prison. You’re still going to be young and you can make your life better. That’s going to be up to you. You can go back with the bailiff.”
Fontenette will have to serve half of his sentence before being eligible for parole.
