FARGO (KFGO) – A woman who pleaded guilty to stomping twice on a man’s head during a brutal downtown Fargo beating in April was sentenced Monday.
Angelica Hernandez had tears in her eyes and said she was sorry and made a mistake when she was involved in a brawl on April 6 that left two men who tried breaking up a fight with serious injuries. One of the men suffered a broken nose, broken orbital bone, and forehead injuries so severe doctors needed to insert a titanium plate to repair it.
Judge Nicholas Chase called the beating brutal and chilling. He said calling it “a mistake” minimizes what Hernandez did because a mistake is forgetting your keys or someone’s birthday, not stomping on an unconscious person’s head.
The attorney for Hernandez argued for a suspended sentence, saying Hernandez had no intent to get involved in a brawl when she went downtown that night. He said she was drunk and “blacked out” and was shocked to see what she had done on video. Hernandez has three children under 12 years old and is pregnant with another due in January, something her attorney said should be considered during her sentencing.
Chase said it was troubling to him that Hernandez didn’t seem to take ownership of her actions, and said he believes her tears in court “aren’t for anyone but her.”
“A brutal beating like this doesn’t get no jail time,” Chase said.
Hernandez was sentenced to 360 days in jail with credit for two days served and all but 30 days suspended for two years. She’ll be on supervised probation for those two years. Hernandez must also take an alcohol dependency assessment, pay restitution, and have no contact with the victim.
Five others, Esiquio Hernandez, John Hernandez, Travice Ledoux, Terrell Smith, and Sergio Granados have also been charged in the case.
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