Carson man to be tried in fatal home-invasion case

A Carson City man whom prosecutors say was the catalyst for a shooting in May 2004 that left a bystander dead will be tried in October for his part in that event.

Fidel Fuentes, 24, pleaded not guilty in Carson City District Court on Monday to felony home invasion.

According to court records, on May 24, 2004, Fuentes and his friend Juan Carlos Alegria stopped by the Eighth Street apartment of Fuentes' estranged girlfriend.

When Fuentes allegedly saw that another man, Maximilliano Cisneros, was in the apartment, he banged on windows and eventually kicked in the front door and chased Cisneros, 24, to a rear bedroom.

According to testimony in Cisneros' murder trial, Cisneros chased Fuentes from the apartment with a gun. Outside, Cisneros opened fire, striking Alegria four times in the torso and Fuentes once in the leg. Witnesses described Alegria, 23, as "just standing there," when the shooting occurred.

He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Cisneros was sentenced to 20-years-to life in prison in February.

In December 2005, Fuentes was charged with home invasion in the case.

A trial date has been set for Oct. 31.

In an unrelated case, Fuentes also entered a not-guilty plea to a charge of possession of a dangerous weapon. A trial date on that charge has been set for Sept. 11.

Fuentes has been in custody since January and is being held on $101,732 bail.

In other cases before Judge Michael Griffin on Monday:

• Arnolfo Vargas-Cervantes, 39, pleaded guilty to third-offense drunken driving. He will be sentenced Sept. 11

• Luis Meza, 24, was sentenced to 12-to-36 months in prison on two charges of possession of a stolen firearm. Meza received credit for 75 days' time served.

• Joseph Warhol, 25, was sentenced to 24 to 96 months in prison on a charge of attempted robbery. He received credit for 92 days' time served.

• Javier Valencia Garcia, 29, was sentenced to 12 to 30 months in prison on a charge of conspiracy to commit a felony under the uniform controlled substance act. Garcia received credit for 95 days' time served.

• Contact reporter F.T. Norton at ftnorton@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1213.