Armando Acevedo, age 28, was recently ordered to serve 36–90 months in prison and two jail sentences after pleading guilty to felony and gross misdemeanor charges from three separate incidents involving drugs and theft.
Humboldt County Public Defender Matthew Stermitz represented Acevedo, stating that Acevedo had a problem with drugs during the time of the three incidents; he would go to jail after being arrested, get out of jail and commit a new crime back-to-back, which led to all of his charges.
Stermitz asked the court to run his client’s sentences concurrently (to be served together) rather than consecutively (served one after the other).
“There was a time when people would sit in jail for eight months waiting on a trial, although that infringed upon presumption of innocence it kept people from running out the clock before they get to the courthouse so to speak,” said Stermitz.
Acevedo told the court that he knows he messed up and wants to turn his life around and be able to take care of his son who just turned one and is in child protective custody.
“I don’t want him growing up like that and I want to be able to do everything I can for him and I was going to see if I could get in that family court program and if you could give me one more chance,” said Acevedo. “I’ll prove that I’m ready to take that step.”
Deputy District Attorney Kevin Pasquale told the court that it’s clear that Acevedo has done absolutely nothing with his life except for creating a lengthy criminal record.
“He has no felony or gross misdemeanors but plenty of others with crimes against the person, status offenses and crimes against property,” said Pasquale. “He wants to blame everybody but himself, he will not take accountability and admit he was wrong.”
Acevedo pleaded guilty to category B felony burglary for an incident on September 25, 2020, where he admitted to entering a house with the intent to commit grand larceny.
On the felony burglary charge, Sixth Judicial District Court Judge Michael Montero ordered Acevedo to serve 36–90 months in prison and pay a $3 DNA collection fee, $25 administrative assessment fee and $250 public defender fee.
Acevedo pleaded no contest to gross misdemeanor conspiracy to commit home invasion and was ordered to 364 days in jail (consecutive to prison) with 136 days credit for time served and pay a $153 DNA collection and analysis fee, $25 administrative assessment fee and $250 public defender fee.
Acevedo was ordered to serve the maximum 364-day jail sentence on gross misdemeanor unlawful taking of a motor vehicle along with a $3 DNA collection fee, $25 administrative assessment fee and $250 public defender fee, ordered to run consecutive with his prison and other jail sentence, with eight days credit for time served given.
