Superior Court Associate Judge Joseph N. Camacho finally accepted Thursday the fourth plea deal offered by the prosecution to video store robbery suspect Benjamin Jones Castro Jr.
Castro pleaded guilty to robbery in exchange for dropping the remaining charges of assault and battery and theft.
Camacho sentenced Castro to 10 years in prison, all suspended except for five years, without parole or early release. He was given credit for eight days of time served.
After serving his sentence, Castro will be placed on supervised probation for five years. He was required to pay $379 in restitution to Hollywood Video and a $500 fine, plus $225 in court and probation fees. Castro was also ordered to perform 200 hours of community service.
Camacho said the only reason he accepted the five-year prison sentence was because the victim agreed that the sentence was acceptable and that Castro “did not spill any blood.”
Otherwise, the judge said, Castro was looking at full maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
Camacho rejected three of Castro's plea agreement because he deemed them too lenient. The previous plea deals recommended prison terms of just two years, then two and a half years, and then three years.
Camacho is known for rejecting lenient plea agreements and imposing full maximum sentences.
Chief Public Defender Adam Hardwicke is counsel for the defendant. Assistant attorney general Chemere McField represented the government.
Castro robbed Hollywood Video in San Jose, Saipan, on Feb. 24, 2012. He came up behind the female cashier, choked her, and forced her to open the cash register and surrender the money inside.
Castro took $379 in cash from the register and fled.
Police said the 23-year-old female cashier had slight injuries in her right jaw.
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