Teen enters plea in rape of elderly woman

A second teen has pleaded no contest in the rape of an 89-year-old woman.

Carlos Fernandez, 16, entered his plea Friday, opting to leave his sentencing up to 6th Judicial Circuit Judge Michael Andrews instead of accepting the state's offer of 30 years behind bars.

"Once I hear from the victim and witnesses, you could get 50 years, you could get 60 years, you could get life," Andrews warned him.

Fernandez told the judge he understood the possibilities. Prosecutor Mike Halkitis said the teen will face a minimum of 23 years or up to four life sentences plus 80 years when he is sentenced Oct. 1.

The maximum penalty could change if the court agrees to apply a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that bans life sentences for juveniles not convicted of murder.

Defense attorney Sara Sanchez, who represents Fernandez, said the teen has been polite and respectful in his dealings with her. Sanchez assured Andrews that her client understands the gravity of the charges and the possible penalties.

"Believe me, he understands," she said outside the courtroom. "It's not a decision he entered into lightly. It's a decision we talked about at great length, and we went over all the options."

The hearing mirrored last month's plea hearing of co-defendant Luis Reyes Jr. Reyes pleaded no contest to the same charges - two counts of sexual battery, one count of home invasion robbery and six counts of burglary - and also decided to let Andrews decide his fate.

Reyes, 16, is scheduled for sentencing Aug. 27 and faces the same punishments as Fernandez.

A third co-defendant, Johnathan Rodriguez, 21, is expected to resolve his case in exchange for a 20-year sentence, Halkitis said.

Authorities said Reyes, Fernandez and Rodriguez wore masks when they broke into the woman's home in Palm Terrace Gardens in April 2009, raped her, ransacked the house and tried to smother her with a pillow.

The woman has testified that the attackers couldn't find any money but took candy bars and snack cakes. The phones also were missing.

She went to a neighbor's house after the attack to call for help.

"I was black and blue from shoulder to waistline," she testified. "I had two black eyes, and I think they lasted for several months."