Family of murder victim must wait for sentencing

Erica D. Johnson

Thursday, Dec. 19, 2002 | 9:50 a.m.

Sentencing was postponed for two men involved in the assault rifle killing of a Henderson man after one of the defendants didn't show up for court.

District Court Judge Donald Mosely had expected to sentence Nicholas Maestas, 18, and Raymond Lane, 17, for the July shooting death of Jamie Sotelo Jr., 20.

Mosley issued a no bail bench warrant for Lane's arrest when he didn't appear in court with his attorney, James "Bucky" Buchanan.

Lane had been released from the Clark County Detention Center in December on a $100,000 bond, and he was also under house arrest ordered by juvenile court in connection with another case.

But Buchanan said Lane's mother called him Wednesday morning and said her son was taken to the emergency room with severe stomach cramps and fever.

Mosley asked Sotelo's family members, who were expected to speak at the sentencing, if they wanted to speak Wednesday or wait until both Lane and Maestas were in attendance.

Yassnia Villegas, Sotelo's sister, cried as she told Mosley she'd rather wait.

"I'd rather speak to both of them," she said. "They both need to know. He knows he's going to be sentenced today and that's the only reason why he didn't come. I'm sick today too and I came."

Maestas, who is in custody at the Clark County Detention Center, was in court along with his attorney, Gloria Navarro, and was prepared to proceed with the sentencing.

But Mosley said he preferred to sentence both men at the same time.

"That prevents one guy from laying it on another guy. So it's important that they are both here," he said.

Mosley rescheduled the sentencing for Jan. 15.

He issued the bench warrant after continuing the matter for about six hours while Buchanan waited to hear from Lane.

Maestas pleaded guilty to second-degree murder as the result of a plea agreement, Navarro said.

He was initially charged with open murder, conspiracy to commit murder and attempted murder and battery causing substantial harm.

In exchange for his guilty plea, prosecutors dropped the other charges and agreed to a sentence of ten years to life, Navarro said.

Lane pleaded guilty to two felony counts, which included battery with a deadly weapon and conspiracy to commit battery also as a result of a plea agreement, Buchanan said.

In exchange for his guilty plea, prosecutors dropped voluntary manslaughter and battery with a deadly weapon charges, he said.

Police said Sotelo and two friends went to Eastminister Court near Major Avenue for a fight that stemmed from a confrontation over Sotelo's girlfriend days earlier.

Lane told police he and Maestas brought a borrowed assault rifle to the fight to frighten Sotelo, police said.

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