Man agrees to six-month sentence for killing
TAMPA (FOX 13) - Jeffra DeJesus offered a goodbye kiss and hugs to his family members as he walked into court Monday, apparently feeling good about the deal he was about to take.
DeJesus was facing manslaughter charges for the shooting death of Michael Fuentes-Fuentes.
Back in February of 2016, Fuentes had gone to ex-girlfriend’s house, prosecutors say, and attacked her new boyfriend.
DeJesus' attorney Bryant Camareno explains what happened next. "Fuentes stabbed him a total of seven times and then he proceeded to punch his ex-girlfriend in the face and then stormed out.”
But it didn’t end there. The defendant DeJesus and his buddies showed up to confront Fuentes about the stabbing. That when the much larger Fuentes took out a knife – but DeJesus pulled out a gun.
After shooting him four times, DeJesus turned himself into police the next day.
DeJesus claims he was in fear for his life and had no choice but to shoot Fuentes. He was staring at a 30-year prison sentence. But then a sweetheart deal landed on his lap: He was offered a six-month sentence in the county jail, followed by probation.
Dejesus could not pass it up.
His attorney Bryant Camareno says there is moral to this story. "He put himself in this position, the victim did, But for his actions, he'd probably be alive today," said Camareno.
And it gets better for DeJesus. He gets credit for time served, which means he will only be in jail for about three months.