Man, 29, who squatted in Yosemite Nationwide Park trip residence for MONTHS whereas armed with sawed-off shotgun and ammo is sentenced to 5 years in jail
A 29-year-old man, who squatted in a personal residence in Yosemite Nationwide Park for months was sentenced to greater than 5 years in jail on weapon expenses, federal prosecutors mentioned.
Devin Michael Cuellar was sentenced to 5 years and three months on Monday after he was convicted of felonious possession of a sawed-off shotgun and ammunition whereas squatting on personal property, the U.S. Lawyer’s Workplace, Jap District of California mentioned.
From Might via September 2021, Cuellar lived within the residence situated on Hollar Street in Wawona, a group inside Yosemite Nationwide Park.
The property proprietor contacted authorities in August, that very same yr, to report that her residence had been vandalized and drug paraphernalia and trash have been scattered about. When police performed a search, they discovered firearms and different stolen gadgets, in response to court docket paperwork.
Prosecutors mentioned Cuellar was beforehand convicted of carjacking and possessing managed substances on the market and was prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition, The San Francisco Chronicle reported.
A 29-year-old man, who squatted in a personal residence in Yosemite Nationwide Park was sentenced this week with weapon expenses and can now serve greater than 5 years behind bars, federal prosecutors mentioned
A scenic view of Yosemite Nationwide Park
Although the house’s actual location or property measurement was not disclosed, houses within the space vary from $279,000 upwards to $7.9 million. The Wawona Resort is one in all California’s unique mountain resort resorts, and situated 27 miles from Yosemite Valley on Wawona Street
Although the house’s actual location or property measurement was not disclosed, houses within the space vary from $279,000 upwards to $7.9 million.
The median itemizing value within the Wawona area runs a median of $1.09M, in response to Redfin Actual Property Group.
Cuellar is from Oakhurst, a group situated roughly half-hour from Yosemite Nationwide Park.
The investigation was a part of Challenge Protected Neighborhoods (PSN), a program launched by the DOJ in Might 2021 to cut back violent crime.
The home-owner, whose title was not disclosed, contacted the authorities in August 2021 to report that her residence had been damaged into and vandalized.
She instructed investigators she had final been on the property in April, prosecutors mentioned.
Court docket paperwork revealed that when authorities searched the property they discovered mail that was addressed to Cuellar, together with gadgets that had been stolen that have been additionally found inside the house.
In October 2021, the property proprietor contacted authorities once more, this time to report {that a} shotgun, that was not hers, had been discovered inside a closet in her residence, prosecutors mentioned.
In response to court docket paperwork, Cuellar denied that he was in Wawona, and instructed authorities he hadn’t been there ‘in years,’ as per the information outlet.
However, it was later revealed that an underage feminine confederate of Cuellar, who had been interviewed admitted to investigators that she knew the daughter of the property proprietor and that she stayed within the residence with Cuellar.
It’s unclear, if the confederate was charged within the crime, as effectively.
In response to court docket paperwork, Cuellar denied that he was in Wawona group situated in Yosemite Nationwide Park (pictured) and instructed authorities he hadn’t been there ‘in years,’ as per the information outlet
The case was a part of an investigation by the Nationwide Park Service and helping businesses, together with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Marshals Service.
Extra businesses embody, the California Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the California Division of Justice’s Bureau of Forensic Companies, and the Madera County Sheriff’s Workplace.
In Might 2021, the Division of Justice launched Challenge Protected Neighborhood (PSN), a nationwide initiative to cut back violent crime.
This system brings collectively all ranges of regulation enforcement and the communities they serve to cut back violent crime and gun violence with the objective of creating neighborhoods safer for everybody.
