Humberto Guizar-Figueroa, one of the men who committed a home invasion robbery in Bakersfield, has been denied parole.
Representing the District Attorney’s Office was Supervising Deputy DA David McKillop.
On June 6, 2011, Humberto Guizar-Figueroa and his brother (Vicente Guizar-Figueroa), with guns drawn, entered the home of a local business owner who was home with his family. The family was held at gunpoint as the business owner was ordered to drive them to his business while a third unidentified man held his family hostage. Unknown to Humberto, additional family members were present and escaped out the back door to call the police. Vicente confessed to police that they watched the victim for six days to plan the crime, including going into the jewelry store to do reconnaissance.
Just a few months prior, the accomplices committed a similar crime in the state of Washington. The robbers held the family at gunpoint in their home, took the businessowner to his business, and took $370,000 worth of jewels. Vicente was convicted of multiple felonies in Washington, however Humberto still has an arrest warrant pending in Washington state.
On June 12, 2014, Humberto pled no contest to multiple felony counts. He was sentenced to 29 years and 8 months in state prison. Due to Humberto being under the age of 26 at the time of the crime, under California law, he was eligible for a youthful offender parole hearing, despite only having served 14 years of his sentence.
At yesterday’s hearing, Humberto was reluctant to provide details about the crime and his involvement with gangs in prison. The Kern County DA’s Office asked the Board to deny parole. Humberto was found not suitable for parole and issued a three-year denial.
Accomplice Vicente Figueroa was deemed eligible for youthful parole by BPH in May of this year.
DA Zimmer commented; “The family that was harmed does not deserve to see the person who terrorized them released after serving only half of their sentence. Youthful parole laws are offender-focused, disregarding the consequences imposed at sentencing, the pain inflicted on victims, and the risk posed to the community with each premature release.”