Jose Manuel Castillo, 44, was sentenced Monday to 20 to 40 years in state prison by Lehigh County Judge Kelly L. Banach.

It was the maximum sentence Banach could impose for third-degree murder, which Castillo pleaded guilty to in October.

Prosecutors had been seeking a first-degree murder conviction and a death sentence before agreeing to the plea.

Castillo also pleaded no contest in October to a misdemeanor theft charge, but that sentence will run concurrently with the murder sentence.

Assistant District Attorney Steven Luksa said Castillo killed 65-year-old Delfino Sanchez-Villanueva in the victim's home at 516 N. Park St. in Allentown around 4:45 p.m. on Nov. 17, 2009. Both men were born and raised in the Dominican Republic, according to testimony Monday.

Luksa said Castillo used to live at Sanchez-Villanueva's home and had a key. Castillo, the prosecutor said, demanded repayment of a $500 loan, leading to an argument that turned physical. Castillo ended the battle by picking up a brick and slamming it into Sanchez-Villanueva's head. He then stole more than $1,000 from Sanchez-Villanueva's pockets and wired some money to his native Dominican Republic, Luksa said.

"You sent them blood money," Banach told Castillo Monday.

Castillo caused about 20 of Sanchez-Villanueva's friends and family members to groan and shout out when he called the killing an "accident" and said he's suffering from his good friend's loss too.

"I would like the family to understand that I have also suffered what they can't imagine," Castillo said through a Spanish-speaking interpreter. "It was an accident because that man was a friend and a brother. … I loved Delfino very much."

Luksa said any pain Castillo is feeling was brought on by himself.

"I guess it's the old cliché," Luksa said. "With friends like Mr. Castillo, who needs enemies?"

Public defender Karen Schular said Castillo is mildly retarded and has impulse control problems.

During the hearing, Sanchez-Villanueva's family wept loudly. Some left the courtroom as the victim was recalled as a loving father and uncle.

"With this he has stained our beautiful Dominican Republic," said Sanchez-Villanueva's brother, Rafael Sanchez.

Luksa said Sanchez-Villanueva was found lying on his living room floor bleeding and unresponsive and blood had been sprayed on the walls. Luksa said there were traces of blood found in a sink and on a water cooler — signs of a cleanup.

Police found a brick and a blood-stained Pittsburgh Steelers sweatshirt in a trash can in the kitchen and video surveillance taken before the killing shows Castillo wearing the Steelers sweatshirt, Luksa said.

When police went to interview Castillo, Luksa said he told police, "I know what this is about. I know I made a mistake and I'd like to talk to you about it."

Castillo also has admitted being in the United States illegally and Banach said he'll have to answer to immigration officials after he's served his sentence.

Source: www.mcall.com/news/breaking/mc-allentown-murder-sentencing

U.S. vs Dominican justice:

Released alleged mass killer struck fear in witnesses, Police say

DominicanToday.com – The National Police chief revealed yesterday that “intelligence information” gathered on Raul Serumberto Mota (Vantroi) found that he threatened by phone, from jail the relatives of his alleged murderer victims, to scare them from testifying against him in court.

Jose Polanco said the Penal Procedural Code states that if the victim or relatives don’t testify the accused ends up being released. “The Police pass the evidence to the Prosecutor and they prepare the indictment. In the end many cases fall because the relatives, out of fear, and in this case it is certainly so, are they aren’t going to sustain the accusation.”

Mota was released despite being accused by Police of taking part in around 36 murders.