Charges Reduced Against Man in Beating of Teen Suspect
By Raul Hernandez
VenturaCountyStar.com
A judge Monday reduced from felony to a misdemeanor the charge against an Oxnard homeowner accused of badly beating a juvenile burglary suspect. Ventura Superior Court Judge Steven Hintz gave Christopher Perez
credit for the 52 days he served in jail after his arrest. The judge also ordered Perez to do 80 hours of community
service.
Perez, 27, was facing up to eight years in prison. He pleaded no contest last month to using a baseball bat in
March to severely beat up the 14-year-old burglary suspect. Perez was found guilty of the crime. Perez also
admitted to using a deadly weapon, but on Monday the judge dismissed the "use of a deadly weapon" allegation
against him. The juvenile's name is not being published by The Star because of his age.
Oxnard police had condemned the March 20 attack by Perez, describing it as extreme "street justice," and had
encouraged residents to cal 911 instead. "We feel that one of the important things to take from the case was what
Mr. Perez did was a crime," prosecutor Gary Evans said in an interview. Evans said the judge took into
consideration the probation department's pre-sentencing report, which recommended the reduction. The report
looked at several factors, including that the juvenile recently threatened Perez over the incident, Evans said. "I think
that had a great deal to do with the judge reducing the charge to a misdemeanor," he said.
Attorney Michael Ford, who is representing the juvenile and his family, told the judge the boy is small and the
beating put him in a coma for several days." Absent medical intervention, he would have died," Ford said. Ford
who is representing the boy in juvenile court on the burglary charge, says his client is in a "good deal of trouble"
with the authorities. Aside from the alleged burglary of Perez's mobile home, the teenager could also be facing
other burglary charges, said Ford.
Last week, prosecutors moved to try the juvenile in adult court for witness intimidation in connection with alleged
threats he made against Perez. Prosecutors claim that the juvenile is a member of the Colonia Chiques criminal
street gang, according to the felony complaint filed Thursday. The youth, who is now 15, is facing seven years to
life in prison if convicted of the latest crimes. He has also been charged with disturbing the peace in connection with
the alleged mobile home burglary. Ford and the boy's family adamantly deny the criminal allegations and the
allegation that he is a gang member.
Outside the courtroom, Ford said the boy's father isn't happy with the sentencing reduction. "He is trying to get
past the notion that they almost killed his son," said Ford, adding that the juvenile isn't intimidating. "He couldn't
intimidate a house cat." During sentencing, Perez's lawyer, Philip Dunn, told the court that his client and his
client's brother, Gilbert Perez were facing attempted murder charges involving the beating, which could have landed
them in prison for life.
Prosecutors dismissed all charges against Gilbert Perez, who died several weeks after the mobile home park
burglary. Dunn said both families have suffered. "Some concept of forgiveness is critical at this stage," Dunn
told the judge. "I know that's how my client feels."
