San Angelo Man Gets 45 Years in Prison for Downtown Shooting

This morning at the Tom Green County Court, 25-year-old Robert Jimmy Blanco, Jr. was sentenced to 45 years in prison for his role in the downtown shooting of Paul Garcia in July 2015. Blanco, Jr. is one of three defendants indicted in the shooting.

Blanco, Jr. accepted a plea agreement during a final pre-trial hearing.

Overall, the 45 years includes a breakdown of three 15-year sentences for an enhanced charge of manufacture/delivery of a controlled substance, unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

According to court documents, Blanco and two other co-defendants, Anthony Andrew Baca, 27, and Marc Anthony Acevedo, 24, on or about July 14, 2015, "intentionally and knowingly [used] and [exhibited] a deadly weapon, to-wit: a handgun, which in the manner of its use and intended use was capable of causing death and serious bodily injury, and did then and there intentionally, knowingly, and recklessly [caused] bodily injury to Paul Garcia by shooting multiple rounds at him."

Just after midnight on that day, Garcia was in the 200 block of South Chadbourne attempting to smoke a cigarette when he was approached from behind by two men. One of the defendants placed a gun against Garcia's stomach, and another against Garcia's neck. They ordered him to walk northbound so they could get into a car. Garcia initially complied, but when he reached the intersection of Chadbourne and Twohig, he spun away from their grasp and began running eastbound on Twohig.

As he ran, Blanco and Acevedo fired approximately 16 shots at Garcia, striking him once in the arm. Garcia then fled into the parking garage of the Cactus Hotel, but Baca found him and began striking him in the back of the head with another firearm until an unknown female yelled at him that they shot the wrong person.

"Garcia was transported to Shannon Medical Center by private vehicle, which was followed by Blanco and Acevedo, who attempted to prevent Garcia from entering the building until armed security arrived on scene," said the complaint.

For more stories on this case, click here and here.