Prep Star Convicted in Incident

It took a Ventura County jury less than three hours Thursday to convict former Newbury Park football standout Leodes Van Buren of firing a gun into the home of his girlfriend.

Van Buren, the state’s all-time leading pass receiver who was headed to the University of Colorado on a football scholarship before the shooting, could be sentenced to a maximum of seven years in prison.

Acting Superior Court Judge Bruce A. Clark set sentencing for Aug. 25.

Van Buren was charged with shooting into an inhabited dwelling after his girlfriend, Marcie James, 20, told authorities that he fired a bullet through the back door of her family’s home April 8.

James and Van Buren, who are now married, later denied he fired the gun, saying one of his acquaintances from Los Angeles did it.

But during the three-day trial, a prosecutor played to the jury audio tapes of Van Buren and James both identifying Van Buren as the shooter.

In his argument Thursday, James Grunert, deputy district attorney, contended that Van Buren decided to deny firing the gun a day after the incident in an effort to salvage his scholarship.

But defense attorney John B. Miller countered that the prosecutor had failed to prove Van Buren fired the shot that broke a glass pane on the door but did not injure anyone.

Miller also claimed the real gunman is a Los Angeles gang member whose identity Van Buren cannot reveal for fear of retaliation.