Judge David A. Wiseman, who presided over the five-day jury trial, initially summoned both counsels for scheduling matters at about 4:50 p.m., but minutes later, jurors informed the judge that they had already reached a verdict.
According to the jurors, Quitano is guilty of two counts of aggravated assault and battery, two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, armed robbery, theft, conspiracy to commit robbery, burglary, and one count of attempted first degree murder of Vivencio Martin, also known as Ben, the pawnshop sales manager.
But Quitano was found not guilty of one count of attempted first degree murder of Ju Sang So, the owner of 24 Hours Pawnshop.
Wiseman, for his part, found Quitano guilty of two counts of assault and battery but not guilty of contempt.
The prosecution said Quitano, together with Marlon Martin, robbed the pawnshop of over $6,000 on Oct. 23, 2009, at about 12:30 p.m. Police recovered over $800 cash.
Martin is now serving a seven-year prison term for armed robbery.
The driver of the getaway vehicle was arrested but not charged.
Another defendant was arrested but agreed to be a government cooperating source. He testified during the trial and was not charged.
Chief Prosecutor Michael Ernest said the Attorney General’s Office was “happy with the result of the verdict and thanked the jurors for their service.”
Assistant Attorneys General Russel Lorfing and Tiberius Mocanu prosecuted the case.
Quitano’s defense attorney Stephen Woodruff said he was “disappointed with the verdict, but jurors did their job. It’s their decision. That’s how justice system works.”
Woodruff said he did not believe the evidence supported the other charges, especially the intent to kill the victims.
He said the two counts of assault and battery, for which Wiseman found Quitano guilty, should have been dismissed as a lesser offense since the defendant was found guilty of the more serious offense of aggravated assault and assault with a dangerous weapon.
Woodruff said the evidence on the identification of his client was the “threshold issue.” He added, “The evidence is inadequate.”
Wiseman scheduled Quitano’s sentencing for April 27, 2011 and remanded him to the custody of the Department of Corrections after the hearing.
Quitano has been in custody since his arrest.
