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U.S. NEWS Wednesday 16 august 2017
Man sentenced to life for deadly Iowa jail escape

By MARGERY BECK
Associated Press
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa
(AP) — A man who plead-
ed guilty to murder and 11
other counts for killing a
western Iowa sheriff’s dep-
uty and wounding another
during a jail escape was
sentenced Tuesday to life
in prison without parole.
The sentence came af-
ter Wesley Correa-Car-
menaty, 24, changed his
pleas to guilty to first-de-
gree murder, attempted
murder, escape, kidnap-
ping and other crimes.
His trial had been set to
begin Tuesday, but his at-
torney informed authori-
ties last week that Correa-
Carmenaty would change Wesley Correa-Carmenaty, 24, who pleaded guilty to murder and 11 other counts for killing a
his plea in Pottawattamie western Iowa sheriff’s deputy and wounding another during a jail escape, addresses the court
County District Court in and family of the victim after he was sentenced to life in prison without parole during a court hear-
ing in Council Bluffs, Iowa, Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2017.
Council Bluffs. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)
Correa-Carmenaty, who
used a Spanish interpret- lock them by the time the
er, showed little emotion van reached the jail.
throughout the hearing, Pottawattamie County At-
smiling and nodding as torney Matthew Wilber ex-
he entered pleas to each plained publicly for the first
count. time during court Tuesday
Prosecutors noted that that Correa-Carmenaty
he was offered no plea had managed to unlock
agreement. Iowa has no the shackles by hiding a
death penalty. handcuff key obtained
The judge ordered Correa- from another inmate in his
Carmenaty’s life sentence hair. He was also armed
to be served after he finish- with two handmade
es a 45-year sentence he shanks, at least one fash-
received earlier this year ioned from a toothbrush,
for a separate murder. The which he used to slash
judge also issued sentenc- Deputy Mark Burbridge in
es totaling 175 years for the face, neck and arms
other counts ranging from during the attack, as seen
attempted murder and on surveillance video from
kidnapping to robbery and the jail sally port where the
weapons counts as part of attack occurred. Correa-
the jail escape. Carmenaty managed to
“The reason for the sen- get into the cab of the van
tence is pretty simple — to and grab a service weap-
guarantee that the defen- on, shooting Burbridge in
dant will spend the rest of the head, then Deputy
his life in prison,” Judge Pat Morgan in the abdo-
James Heckerman said. men once before the gun
“It’s clear... that he’s an ex- jammed, Wilber said. Bur-
treme threat to society.” bridge died and Morgan
Correa-Carmenaty had survived.
just been sentenced on Wilber said Correa-Car-
May 1 in the unrelated menaty took both depu-
murder case and was be- ties’ guns, ammunition and
ing taken from the court- the keys to the van, then
house to the Pottawatta- drove the transport van
mie County Jail when the through a jail garage door,
fatal assault occurred, of- abandoning it a few blocks
ficials have said. away. Authorities say he
Authorities say Correa-Car- tried to carjack a truck us-
menaty was in handcuffs ing the gun, which he did
and leg shackles as he was not know how to oper-
being transported in a jail ate, accidentally ejecting
van, but managed to un- the weapon’s 15-round