Suspect in robbery of Japanese tourist gets a two-year sentence

Superior Court Associate Judge Kenneth L. Govendo has imposed a two-year prison term on Oscar Porras for his role in the robbery of a female Japanese tourist and a beer theft case.

Govendo on Wednesday sentenced Oscar Porras Jr. to a total of five years in prison, all suspended except for two years, with credit for time served. The 33-year-old Porras will not be eligible for parole.

Porras pleaded guilty to theft in the first case and accessory after the fact to robbery, receiving stolen property, and assault and battery in the second case as part of a plea deal.

After completing his sentence, Porras will be placed on supervised probation for two years.

The judge held Porras jointly responsible with any co-conspirator for paying the $350-plus medical costs of the victim, Miki Takamatsu, and $29.99 to the Grand Market.

Govendo ordered Porras to pay at least $200 to Takamatsu within 30 days and to write two letters of apology, one to Takamatsu and one to Grand Market. He was ordered to perform 200 hours of community service and pay court costs and fees.

Last week, Superior Court associate judge Joseph N. Camacho rejected a plea agreement entered by Porras and his co-defendant Gustavo Meme Ybanez in the robbery case, finding it to be “extremely lenient.”

The plea deal proposed an eight-year combined prison sentence, on four guilty counts to run concurrently. The total jail sentence is five years but three years are suspended.

Camacho said although there is an appearance of serious jail time, Porras would actually be facing just two years in prison, with credit for time served and no restriction on parole.

Camacho said under the proposed deal, because Porras already served six months in jail, he may be eligible for parole in as little as two months.

With respect to Ybanez, the plea agreement proposed a five-year prison term, all suspended except for two years, with credit for time served.

The Office of the Attorney General and Porras and his counsel forged another plea agreement that imposed no parole, among other things. Govendo presided over the change of plea hearing on Wednesday as Camacho was off-island on official business.

According to the factual basis of the agreement, on Sept. 29, 2011, Porras walked out of Grand Market in Puerto Rico with a case of beer without paying for it.

On Nov. 16, 2011, Ybanez snatched Takamatsu’s purse and ran to a vehicle that Porras was driving. The tourist chased the car and grabbed the door. Porras sped off and Takamatsu was dragged several meters, injuring her arm. She was treated for injuries at the Commonwealth Health Center.