Rockwall County jury sentences Guevara-Laureano to 50 years

(ROCKWALL COUNTY, TX – Sept. 14, 2018) A Rockwall County jury deliberated one hour before convicting Dallas resident Juan Carlos Guevara-Laureano, 28, of the felony offenses of Aggravated Kidnapping, Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon, and Evading Arrest in a Motor Vehicle. Yesterday, the same jury sentenced Guevara-Laureano to fifty (50) years in the Texas state penitentiary on the Aggravated Kidnapping case and ten (10) years respectively on each of the other charges. The sentences will run concurrently.

Testimony showed that on March 22, 2016, Guevara-Laureano kidnapped his girlfriend at gunpoint and demanded that she tell him the home address of her ex-husband so that he could retaliate against the man for an earlier confrontation. When the victim refused to provide Guevara-Laureano with the information, he brandished an AR style weapon and began a two-hour ordeal in which he kept the victim in the car against her will and repeatedly threatened to kill her if she did not divulge the address. He even forced the victim to call her young children, aged six and four, to “tell them goodbye”.

The victim’s sister testified that after receiving what she described as a “terrifying” phone call from the victim, she and other family members called the police. Deputies with the Rockwall County Sheriff’s Office were able to locate the vehicle as it drove along I-30 through Rockwall County and got behind the car.

Upon seeing the officers, Guevara-Laureano struck the victim with the butt of the gun, opened his car door, and then threw the gun under the tires of his moving vehicle in an attempt to destroy the weapon. Refusing to stop, Guevara-Laureano led police on a chase with speeds reaching 100 miles per hour through Rockwall, Dallas, and Collin Counties. Officers finally arrested Guevara-Laureano after his vehicle ran out of gas near the Allen/Frisco border.

Muliple law enforcement agencies joined the Rockwall County Sheriff’s Office in the chase, including Garland PD, McKinney PD, Plano PD. Texas Department of Public Safety additionally provided invaluable helicopter air support.

“This verdict is a triumph,” said Kerri New, lead prosecutor on the case. “That triumph belongs to the victim who had the strength to not only survive, but to see the long road to justice through to the end. That triumph belongs to the Rockwall County Sheriff’s Office whose deputies and detectives not only safely handled a dangerous situation but also conducted a competent and thorough investigation to support the charges. Finally, that triumph belongs to the Rockwall County citizens called upon to judge this defendant’s fate. Having the courage to hand down a decisive verdict like this one sends a powerful message to law enforcement that our juries recognize, respect, and are prepared to support the job that they do for us. It also communicates clearly to offenders that acts such as these, that endanger individuals and the public at large, will not be tolerated.”

“This case is a testament to collaboration,” said Rockwall County District Attorney Kenda Culpepper. “Men and women in blue work hard together every day to keep us safe. We are proud to work alongside them.”

Source: Rockwall County Criminal District Attorney’s Office

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