45 years for JJ Camacho

Jesse James Camacho, tagged as the mastermind in the killing of 13-year-old Antonio Sablan, Jr. last year, was sent to 45 years in prison yesterday.

“This kind of conduct is not acceptable in a civilized society,” Superior Court Associate Judge Timothy Bellas said in issuing the sentence.

Bellas noted that the Camacho may not have a similar crime record in the past but the “aggravating circumstance is that this is the most serious crime committed in the history of the Commonwealth.”

Camacho, accompanied by a Marshal agent, displayed no remorse nor any emotion when he emerged from the courtroom wearing sunglasses.

His lawyer, Anthony Long, said he was disappointed with the court’s decision.

“We expect the conviction and the sentence to be reviewed on appeal,” Long said in a brief interview with reporters after the sentencing.

Asst. Atty. Gen. Barry Hirshbien, however, was not satisfied with 45 years, saying Camacho deserves to spend the rest of his life in jail.

Camacho, 20, was one of the three young men charged with first degree murder in connection with the death of Sablan, a star athlete of Hopwood Junior High School.

Camacho was meted the most severe punishment despite his lawyer’s argument that he was not the “primary actor” in the crime.

Bellas ruled that Camacho, who was convicted on March 12 after a four-day trial, was “equally culpable.”

Two of Camacho’s co-defendants, both minors, earlier entered into a plea agreement and served as witnesses. for the government. Each of them was sentenced to two years in jail.

One of the two witnesses, a 15-year-old boy who had confessed to stabbing Sablan to death, pointed to Camacho as the one who had ordered him to kill the victim. It was supposedly part of initiation rites for membership into the so-called Red Rum gang.

The boy told the court that Camacho had threatened to kill him and his family if he refused to follow orders.

Sablan was stabbed 37 times inside his house in Dandan in April last year.

Camacho had sought a retrial of his case and a judgment of acquittal, but his request was turned down by the court Monday.

The defense lawyer had raised doubts on the witness’ testimony, but Bellas ruled that the boy’s testimony was “not incredible on its face,” and that “the jury could and did find it believable and credible.”