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The judge expressed empathy for Fontenette’s victims, acknowledging the terror inflicted during the crime. “I cannot imagine the fear that person had that was working in the store. Just trying to go to work, make a living and go home. And he has three people come in and not just grab a quick something and run out, but terrorize him for quite some time, pulling him around, yanking him around, putting guns in his face. All three of you,” West remarked.
But the judge didn’t stop at condemning the robbery. Fontenette’s behavior in jail, including repeated fights with other inmates, revealed a troubling pattern of violence and lack of remorse. “The jail incident reports show you apparently like to fight and jump on people, which is what has been happening in the jail. So it makes it very difficult for me to go, ‘This is somebody that’s going to get out and behave, who can follow the rules,’ because you can’t even follow the rules in jail,” she stated.
The pre-sentence report painted a grim picture: Fontenette was identified as high-risk, making probation an unacceptable option. “After they looked at everything, you don’t, unfortunately, have a good likelihood of being successful if I were to put you on probation,” West said, her voice cutting through the tense courtroom.
The verdict was swift and severe. Judge West found Fontenette guilty of aggravated robbery and sentenced him to 25 years in the institutional division. His family, visibly distraught, was escorted from the courtroom in tears before the judge could finish explaining her reasoning.
“We’re tired of it, and there’s gotta be something done…I’m going to find you guilty of aggravated robbery. I’m going to sentence you to a term of 25 years in an institutional division,” West declared.
While the sentence is harsh, Judge West also offered a glimmer of hope. As The Daily Mail reports, she reminded Fontenette that he still had the chance to turn his life around. “Mr. Fontenette, I understand that this is harsh, and I know you believe that this is harsh, but I think that this is necessary. You’re still going to be young, and you can make your life better. That’s going to be up to you.”
Under KFDM’s reporting, Fontenette must serve at least half of his 25-year sentence before becoming eligible for parole—an unmistakable warning to other young criminals in the region: violent crimes will no longer be met with leniency.
