District Court, Kandiyohi County, Dec. 4
Carlos Rueben Espinoza, 22, of Willmar, pleaded guilty to two felony charges of criminal damage to property.
As part of a plea agreement, another felony charge for possessing a pistol or assault weapon within 10 years of a violent crime conviction, and several lesser charges, will be dismissed. He will be sentenced Jan. 5.
One of the two criminal damage charges was filed after a Willmar officer was called around 1 p.m. Sept. 20 to the Law Enforcement Center parking lot. One of the women there said she was at a local supermarket getting gas when Espinoza approached and assaulted her, threaten her and damaged her vehicle by throwing a rock at the door, causing a dent. He had also pounded on the vehicle's stereo, cut the dash and smashed some sunglasses. The estimated repairs were $2,162.
The other criminal damage charge was filed after police were called around 11:30 a.m. Sept. 21 to a Willmar home for a domestic incident. A woman there said Espinoza had been looking for something and was out of control breaking things. He had knocked a television onto the floor and broke the TV's case and threw a Nintendo Wii across the room. He had left when she called authorities, but had punched the driver's side door of her van, causing a dent that was estimated at $942 to repair.
The gun charge was filed after a July 23 incident in which a Willmar police officer was dispatched to a street corner for a domestic incident. A woman there said Espinoza had been using and dealing meth, carrying handguns and becoming more violent and threatening. She wanted him and the guns out of her home. Back at the house, the woman handed over a bag that contained a .22-caliber revolver, with all six cylinders loaded with rifle ammunition. Espinoza first claimed the gun, but then denied possession of the firearm.
A review of his criminal history shows a previous adjudication in October 2001 for third-degree assault in Swift County, another adjudication, for another third-degree assault in November 2001 and a third adjudication in Kandiyohi County for third-degree burglary in July 2003. He also has a conviction in November 2006 for first-degree criminal damage to property.