Aguilera Guilty of Attempted Jury finds 22-year-old Anthony
Aguilera guilty of five felony counts, one misdemeanor
n By Marilyn Dubil Staff Writer
San Martin – A 22-year-old Gilroy man could spend as much as 52 years behind bars after he was found guilty Friday afternoon of five felony counts and one misdemeanor count.
The guilty verdicts against Anthony S. Aguilera, brought in by a seven-woman, five-man jury after deliberating for seven hours, include two counts of attempted murder, two counts of assault with a deadly weapon, one charge of shooting into an occupied vehicle and one charge of reckless driving while fleeing from a peace officer. Several of the counts included a gang enhancement and a weapons enhancement.
Aguilera stood tall, hands clasped behind his back, eyes forward, as the Santa Clara County Superior Court clerk read aloud the complex verdicts.
“Of course we’ll appeal, always,” said Andrew Tursi, Aguilera’s defense attorney.
Asked how his client, who was dressed neatly in brown slacks, white button down shirt and demure tie, was holding up after hearing the verdict, Tursi replied, “Very well. He’s a man.”
His mother, Barbara, and other family members, however, sobbed quietly.
Deputy District Attorney Stuart Scott told jurors Aguilera’s trademark is coming up behind people or surprising them in attack.
“The common theme is, he sneaks up on people, ambushes them … In not a single situation does he confront someone face to face in a fair fight,” he said.
Barbara Aguilera said the comments were hard to take.
“He didn’t hurt any children, he loves children,” she said of the young man who spent two years in a California Youth Authority facility before the shooting and stabbing.
The gang and weapons enhancements to the charges could add years to Aguilera’s sentence if an appeal is not successful.
“Those enhancements, they bury a kid,” Barbara said. “They offered him 26 years, but he said no, he didn’t want that because his life would be over.
Scott told jurors that Aguilera was fairly charged.
“We’ve not overcharged this case … we’ve charged him with everything he’s responsible for, and I’m asking you to hold him responsible for all those things,” he said. “Be thankful we don’t have four or five dead bodies and this isn’t an actual murder trial.”
Aguilera’s next court appearance is July 21 at 1:30pm.
