Published: November 04, 2009 09:39 pm      

Man sentenced for robbing, injuring elderly man

Illegal immigrant accused of rape sentenced on lesser offense

A 37-year-old Louis-ville man was sentenced Tuesday to eight years in prison for the violent robbery of an elderly couple at their home on the 4300 block of Grant Line Road.

Sonny Tweedy allegedly went to the couple’s residence in July 2008 and asked for assistance with his vehicle, according to a probable-cause affidavit. At some point, there was a confrontation between the male victim and Tweedy.

Police records stated that Tweedy grabbed the elderly man’s neck and threw him to the ground and took his wallet. The victim’s hand was reportedly injured.

Tweedy reportedly got into a vehicle being driven by 43-year-old Guy Jackson, of Louisville. Police pursued the men across the Sherman Minton Bridge into Louisville. Jackson was arrested, but Tweedy reportedly fled the scene.

Tweedy was one of the Floyd County Sheriff’s Department’s Most Wanted suspects until his arrest in Clark County in December.

He pleaded guilty last month to class B felony robbery resulting in bodily injury. Floyd County Circuit Court Judge J. Terrence Cody accepted the agreement Tuesday. It called for eight years at the Indiana Department of Correction and two years of probation.

Tweedy’s attorney, Lisa Thalmann, said they agreed to the sentence partially because of Tweedy’s criminal history. He was on probation for criminal conversion and criminal recklessness at the time of the robbery.

The prosecutors authorized to talk about the case were not available for comment after the hearing.



Illegal immigrant receives five years for sexual misconduct

A 20-year-old illegal alien was sentenced Tuesday to five years in prison for sexual misconduct with a minor.

Jenrry Yovany Zavala had been charged with rape and criminal confinement. He also was charged with sexual misconduct as a class A felony, but the state amended the charge to a class C felony.

In July 2008, a Hanover man called 911 to report that his niece had been kidnapped by a family member from their residence there. The caller led police to an alley behind East 18th Street in New Albany, where they found Zavala in a bedroom with the 14-year-old. The girl reportedly told police that he took her against her will and forced her to have sex with him.

There was some confusion as prosecutors alleged the victim was Zavala’s relative, but Zavala told Cody at an initial hearing after his arrest that the 14-year-old was his girlfriend and not related to him.

Zavala, who is from Honduras, also told the judge at the time that he did not have a permit to be in the country legally.

A plea agreement was reached last month, and Cody accepted the agreement Tuesday. Authorities have said Zavala will be deported after he serves his time at the Indiana Department of Correction.

Prosecutors and Zavala’s public defender, J. Patrick Biggs, were not immediately available for comment after the hearing.