YUMA, Ariz. – Three suspects appeared in Yuma County Court plead not guilty for causing nearly $2,000 worth of criminal damage with an air rifle. The suspects were each charged with one count of criminal damage and their bond was set at $15,000.
—
March 2nd, 2016
The Yuma couple accused of damaging cars with an air rifle appeared in front of a judge today. 20-year-old Angelita Escalante and Ricardo Soto are out of custody and pleading not guilty to the charges they are facing.
Soto is being represented. Escalante was appointed an attorney from the public defender’s office. Sotos lawyer asked for the two to have access to each other – as they are in a relationship and live together.
That was not granted by the judge.
The two are accused of causing nearly $2,000 worth of damage to vehicles by an air rifle.
The two will be back in court in April.
—— Previous Article ——
One of the suspects, Maribel Chavez who is 22-years-old, is still in custody and has not payed her bond. Chavez requested to have a lawyer appointed to her for future hearings. The other two suspects, Ricardo Soto and Angelita Escalante are both 20-years-old, have been released from jail after posting their bond. Both defendants said they will hire their own lawyer for future hearings.
The judge said the defendants can not contact each other while the case is going on. This is a problem for Soto and Escalante because they are currently living together. Their attorney asked the judge if they two suspects could still live together if they did not talk about the case. The judge denied their request.
The air rifle shootings occurred in the 3100 block of west 31st street in Yuma. One of the residents in the neighborhood, who asked to remain anonymous, said his car window was shot out and had to miss work because of it.
“When I left for work that afternoon I came around the other side and this window was badly damaged, it had good side hole in it.”
Chavez next court date is set for February 23rd. Soto and Escalante’s next court date is set for March 4th.