Transient gets 400 years and 21 life sentences for crime spree

Charles Juan Proctor dubbed "the box cutter" for his attacks on women working alone in Downtown and East Village businesses.

By Tracy Manzer, Staff Writer
Posted: 08/30/2010 12:44:30 PM PDTUpdated: 08/30/2010 09:55:10 PM PDT



LONG BEACH - Every time Saida Uriarte looks in a mirror, she's transported to April 28, 2008.

That's the day Uriarte was nearly killed when 45-year-old transient Charles Juan Proctor slit her throat twice during a robbery at her downtown Long Beach bridal shop.

"Every time I look into the mirror I'm reminded of this awful event," Uriarte said in her victim impact statement read Monday by Deputy District Attorney Carol Rose.

Uriarte and Jennifer Wrenn, who had her throat slashed by Proctor during a botched robbery in her downtown Long Beach artist's loft, told Long Beach Superior Court Judge Gary Ferrari they struggle to this day with the traumatic aftermath of those attacks.

For Wrenn, "daymares" and flashbacks are common and it's hard for her focus and concentrate at her job as a children's librarian.

When Proctor attacked Wrenn, he dug the razor into her neck and cheek, twisting the blade to drive it deeper, she testified in the trial.

"I feel guilty about the victim after me ... had I done something differently she may not have had her throat slashed as I had my throat slashed," Wrenn told the court.

For their suffering and that of four other women - who were kidnapped at knifepoint in attacks at Long Beach and Hawaiian Gardens businesses from February through May of 2008 - Wrenn and Uriarte implored the court to give Proctor the maximum sentence allowed by law.

Ferrari heard their pleas and responded with 21 life sentences, 10 of which were stayed or ordered to be served concurrently, and a base term of 433 years and four months in prison.

That means Proctor must serve the 433-year base term before he begins serving the 11 consecutive life terms, Rose said.
"Mr. Proctor, I can say absolutely ... you deserve each of these 433 years," Ferrari said.

Rose had asked that Proctor receive more than 530 years, arguing his prior convictions for attempted sexual assault and attempted kidnapping, the latter occurring on Aug. 10, 2007, in Nevada, made Proctor a prime candidate for the state's three-strikes law.

Public defender Thomas Tyler countered that his client's conviction for the attempted kidnapping didn't occur until after he had committed the local crime spree and therefore shouldn't be factored as a prior.

Rose said that the crime was committed before the local attacks. The only reason the conviction came after the Long Beach and Hawaiian Gardens attacks was because Proctor fled back to Nevada following the last local attack.

Nevada authorities caught up with Proctor on May 4, 2008, almost immediately upon his return to that state, and he subsequently pleaded guilty to the 2007 crime.

"The focus of the three-strikes law is conduct," Rose insisted, citing case law. "Regardless of whether judgment and sentence have been pronounced."

Ferrari agreed, telling Proctor his conduct toward his victims was despicable and his crimes showed not only an escalation in violence but a disturbing criminal sophistication.

Proctor's crime spree terrorized women living and working in the downtown and East Village neighborhoods as word spread of a violent robber dubbed "the box cutter" for his use of a razor blade.

"You sir are a violent ... and dangerous human being," Ferrari said Monday. "It's unconscionable what you did to these women."

In addition to the lengthy sentence, the judge also ordered Proctor pay more than $56,000 in victim restitution fines and court fees.

As Ferrari talked about possible parole violations and release, part of the sentencing procedure, the judge noted that he hoped the issue of parole would never apply to Proctor.

"You shouldn't be on any street in Long Beach and Hawaiian Gardens and, in fact, you ought not be on any street in this country."

From: http://www.presstelegram.com/rss/ci_15941811?source=rss