AUSTIN
MAN SENTENCED FOR ARMED CARJACKINGS
United
States Attorney Johnny Sutton announced that 25 year-old Adrian Santa
Cruz of Austin, was sentenced this afternoon to 23 years and 9 months
in federal prison imprisonment for an armed carjacking spree in Austin
and San Antonio during the early morning hours of August 15, 2006. In
addition, United States District Judge Lee Yeakel ordered that Santa Cruz
be placed on supervised release for a period of five years after completing
his prison term.
On December 11, 2006, Santa Cruz pleaded guilty to two counts of carjacking
and one count of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime
of violence. According to court records, shortly after midnight on August
15, 2006, in Austin, Santa Cruz and co-defendant, 24-year-old Dante Rodriguez
Arellano, a Mexican national then living in Austin, robbed a man at gunpoint,
stealing his wallet, cellular telephone and his car, a 1998 Nissan Maxima.
Approximately five hours later in San Antonio, Arellano and Santa Cruz
robbed a woman at gunpoint outside her place of employment stealing her
jewelry and her car, a 1992 Cadillac Seville.
Arellano pleaded guilty to the same charges on October 23, 2006, and was
sentenced on February 9, 2007, to 19 years and 9 months in federal prison.
There is no parole under federal law.
“Violent criminals should think long and hard before they pick up a gun
because a long sentence in prison awaits them,” stated United States Attorney
Johnny Sutton.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Austin
Police Department, San Antonio Police Department and Seguin Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Devlin prosecuted this case on
behalf of the government.
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