SAN ANGELO, TX – After seven long hours of deliberation, the jury in Ray Zapata's week-long trial, found Zapata guilty of two charges of forgery, one charge of theft and one charge of money laundering. Jurors heard closing arguments from both state prosecutors John White and Shane Attaway and from defense attorney Mark Snodgrass earlier this morning. Then, at 1:20 p.m. this afternoon, Jurors retired to deliberate.
Jurors opted to “power through dinner” in order to finish their deliberation tonight and deliver their unanimous verdict. The punishment phase will commence tomorrow at 1:30 p.m. where both the state and the defense will have the opportunity to persuade the jury in regards to an appropriate punishment for Zapata.
Zapata will remain out on bond until the jury decides his punishment. Further details regarding the proceedings that went on in the courtroom this afternoon will be available shortly.
Update 11 p.m.
Zapata was convicted on two counts of Forgery of a Financial Instrument, a state jail felony; one count of money laundering greater or equal to $20,000 but less than $100,000; and one count theft of property greater than or equal to $200,000.
The conviction for theft of property is a first degree felony, punishable with five to 99 years in prison.
Money laundering is a third degree felony punishable with three to 10 years in prison.
Each of the counts of forgery are state jail felonies, each with a punishment of 180 days to two years.
The jury will decide Zapata's sentence Wednesday.
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Comments
99 years...... This piece of trash needs swept up out of the gutter and thrown away so as not to infect society every again............
And hopefully that much or even a longer sentence will be given to his slimeball attorney buddy too............
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PermalinkI know Ray and am so saddened for him and his family. Ray is a very good man and always eager to help others. John Sullivan, on the other hand, was a slimeball and a predator. All this would never happened if the had just left him in jail, where he should have been. We're praying for you, Ray and Julie.
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PermalinkIt wouldn't have happened if lawyers weren't greedy and saw a way to swindle someone out of money.
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PermalinkJanet Senatore, either there's been a huge miscarriage of justice here and Zapata has been framed through entrenched corruption, or Zapata, despite being a lawyer, was truly guilty and earned his sentence under the rule of law that is suppose to guide Western societies and preserve the promise of "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" that has made this nation preeminent in this world. Letting him go because he had many prominent friends and some status in the community is tantamount to lowering ourselves to the position of the third-world nations that so many have left in waves and droves so that they could resettle here in the States.
You pray for your buddy. I'll pray that justice always prevails unless a person's crimes can be redeemed through compassion, and that petty favoritism or outright corruption are brooked no quarter.
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