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GoogleThe lengthy sentences were handed down against Jose Gomez and Wilson Palacio of Smyrna on Monday.
Gomez was found guilty of three counts of aggravated robbery and a single count of aggravated burglary following a trial in September while Palacio pleaded guilty to the same charges several days later.
"This is about the worst of the worst," assistant district attorney Mike Randles said about the case. "If there's one place left on earth that people should feel safe, it's in their own home, and then the victims were children ... who were held at gunpoint."
"That's the type of offender that deserves the strongest sentence," Randles said. Randles was also assisted in the two sentencing hearings by assistant district attorney Richard Cawley.
Gomez and Palacio had entered a home on Riverview Drive in January while three children, who were home from school on a snow day, sat on a couch watching television.
As Palacio held a gun on the children, telling them not to be afraid, Gomez allegedly took jewelry off the victims and from throughout the home along with their cell phones and two video cameras.
The children were told to go into a bathroom and later told police they saw the pair leave in a small, older model green two-door car.
Investigators with the Shelbyville Police Department said that the mother of one of the children is an independent jewelry dealer and had sold merchandise to the wife of Gomez.
The wife had also worked with the victim's mother in Smyrna, and Gomez had also attended a party last year with his wife at the victim's home and was identified in a group photo taken at the gathering, according to police.
Palacio was arrested by a SWAT team in Nashville while Gomez was taken into custody by Smyrna authorities. Palacio told investigators he received some money for the stolen jewelry from Gomez after he sold it at a Nashville pawn shop.
But while Palacio told investigators he did enter the home with Gomez, he claims he did not point the gun at the children, but rather "showed it to them," Randles said.
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25 years is not enough, they should have been put away for life. With good behavior they will be out in 12 years possibly sooner.
Does this say anything about our judicial system, Ron bell is looking at a million dollar fine and maybe 30 years for simply signing a customers name, no on said any money was taken, and this illegal thug only gets 25 years and no fine for terrorizing children. I know Ron and have for many years, I think maybe he got into a richard nixon situation, remember water gate when nixon took all the heat. Good luck ron, and gomez you deserve more, but obama will probably pardon you so you can get a citizenship.
25 years thats all for holding 3 scared to death children at gun point.....tie em upside down shove a reeses down their throat and let the kids pretend its a pinota and beat the you know what out of them or maybe since guns was involved...hey wanna play paint ball frozen ofcourse lol glad the kids and family are ok maybe in prison they'll get a few guys to treat them EXTRA friendly
25 years ? All at taxpayer expense ??
NO ! A mistrial should be declared with both of these animals being released from custody at noon on Saturday. Their release to be published in this publication and every other similar publication in Middle Tennessee for a minimum of 2 weeks prior to their release.
And yes my grandmother would heartily approve of this message.
folks be glad they got that if you remember not to long ago our courts gave 25 years to some folks that murdered 4 persons!!!
Fair would be to ship them to Mexico to serve their time so American taxpayers wouldn't have to pay to keep their sorry selves up for 25 years! If these thugs are not legal, I say deport them ASAP!
Another reason to replant that tree on the square.....
I have no doubt you mean...transplant a tree nurse_01. Take far too long for one to grow big enough for the appointed task.
These men are allegedly illegal immigrants in our country. No part of this story addresses that issue. Why did you not address that issue Brian in your article?
This is so typical of our local, state and national news media. Political correctness is and will continue to be the downfall of our society; unless we go back to reporting the news and talking about the facts of the story without fear of offending some minority group or some other special interest group that feels offended by such reporting of the FACTS.
If these thugs are illegal immigrants state it Times Gazette. IT IS A FREAKING FACT. It is not an opinion is should be part of the story. The old school reporters used to base their stories on whom, when and where.
I understand that Brian does not have final editorial control over his articles when they are published.
These are just some of my thoughts on this story.
Brett
Playing against my ex-Pack this weekend, should be interesting, too bad the 0-6 Titans have a package with the NFL that will blackout that game for all of us in Middle Tennessee.