Judge sentences man accused of shooting woman at Las Cruces Planet Fitness
LAS CRUCES - A judge sentenced a Las Cruces man to the maximum amount of prison time Monday after the man pleaded guilty to attempted murder.
Jose Daniel Chavez, 29, pleaded guilty to one count of attempted murder in the first degree and one count of tampering with evidence.
Chavez has been jailed since police said he shot a woman working the front desk at Planet Fitness on El Paseo Road on Aug. 3, 2021.
On Monday, the 3rd Judicial District Judge Conrad Perea sentenced Chavez to 12 years in prison, but gave him credit for the year and a half Chavez has already spent in jail. Chavez was scheduled for sentencing in December, but the hearing was delayed because of a paperwork issue.
Police accused Chavez of shooting a Planet Fitness worker in the chest in 2021. According to court records, police said Chavez had been kicked out of the gym before he returned with a gun.
After his arrest, Chavez’s attorney raised questions regarding Chavez's competency. However, an evaluation found Chavez fit to stand trial.
Chavez received nine years for the attempted murder charge and three years for the tampering charge, court records show.
Justin Garcia covers crime, courts, public safety and local government in Las Cruces. He can be reached via email at JEGarcia@lcsun-news.com, via phone or text at 575-541-5449, or on Twitter @Just516Garc.
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This article originally appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: Judge sentences man accused of shooting woman at Planet Fitness
