Date: 05-22-2015

Case Style: United States of America v. Lorenzo Puentes

Case Number: 1:14-cr-00065-DB

Judge: Dee Benson

Court: United States District Court for the District of Utah (Salt Lake County)

Plaintiff's Attorney: J. Drew Yeates

Defendant's Attorney: Robert K. Hunt - FPD

Description: SALT LAKE CITY, UT – Lorenzo Puentes, age 38, of Ogden, pleaded guilty in federal court in Salt Lake City to assault on a federal officer with a dangerous weapon and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.

U.S. District Judge Dee Benson accepted the guilty pleas and imposed a sentence of 150 months, including 30 months for the assault conviction and 120 months for discharging the firearm during a crime of violence, to run consecutively to each other. Puentes will be on supervised release for 60 months following the completion of his federal prison sentence. There is no parole in the federal prison system. As a special condition of his supervised release, he was ordered not to have any contact with any member or associate of a criminal street gang or prison gang either in person, by mail, by phone, by e-mail, by third party; or any other means.

Deputy United States Marshals were conducting surveillance at a residence in Ogden, Utah, on the evening of Nov. 4, 2014. Puentes, who had an outstanding no-bail arrest warrant for a weapons violation, was believed to be at the residence. During the evening, Puentes stepped outside of the residence to smoke a cigarette. He encountered three Special Deputy United States Marshals who verbally identified themselves as police officers. They are local police officers assigned to the U.S. Marshal Service’s Violent Fugitive Apprehension Strike Team.

Puentes raised his right arm, pointed a handgun at the deputies, and discharged one round toward the deputies. He then turned and ran from the officers. Deputies pursued Puentes approximately one block down the street and took him into custody. A bullet hole was located in a fence directly behind where the deputies were standing at the time of the gunshot. Law enforcement officers recovered the firearm in a nearby driveway the next morning.

“This incident demonstrates the danger that our task force officers face each day. I am proud of their bravery and their service to our community,” James A. Thompson, U.S. Marshal for the District of Utah, said today.

As a part of his plea agreement Thursday, Puentes admitted that he forcibly assaulted the three Special Deputy U.S. Marshals while they were engaged in their official duties. He admitted pointing the handgun toward them and firing a shot in their direction.

A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Puentes with the two counts in November.

Outcome: Ogden Man Sentenced To 150-Months In Federal Prison After Shooting At Special Deputy U.S. Marshals

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