VENTURA : Man Sentenced for Role in Carjacking
One of two men convicted of robbing a Ventura man and stealing his car was sentenced Friday to 11 years in prison.
Included in the sentence for Terry Wilson, 33, of Simi Valley was five years for having a prior robbery conviction, officials said.
Wilson and Brade Molina, 22, of Gilroy were convicted last month of robbing John West, 26, in November after flagging him down for a ride. Although West testified that Wilson, sitting in the back seat, put his arm around West’s neck and held a screwdriver to his throat, jurors acquitted Wilson of using a deadly weapon to commit the crime.
Deputy Dist. Atty. Patricia M. Murphy said Molina took three rings from West while Wilson ripped off West’s necklace. The robbers then forced West out of the car and sped off, Murphy said.
Defense attorneys had argued during the trial that Wilson and Molina were guilty of theft, not robbery, because no force was used. Wilson testified that West gave them his jewelry to use to purchase cocaine.
Wilson admitted that he and Molina did not intend to return the jewelry or the car, but he denied using force to obtain them. Molina did not testify.
Molina is scheduled for sentencing April 2.
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