Fisk gets near-maximum sentence

The man who wounded an illegal immigrant in a drive-by shooting just three days before Christmas had the book thrown at him this past week as the court sentenced him to 35 years in the state penitentiary.

The defendant, Deonray Fisk, 27, was handed near-maximum terms by Circuit Court Judge Bart Stanley on each of his convictions for attempted second-degree murder, convictions which carry eight to 12 years. The terms were set to run consecutively, meaning one after another, to make his sentence three times as long as it would have been had the terms been run concurrently.

Two additional years were tacked on for illegal possession of a weapon. He must serve 30 percent of his sentence before first chance of parole meaning he is looking at around a decade behind bars before his first chance of freedom.

The sentence comes after Fisk was convicted following a jury trial in July for the Dec. 22, 2005 shooting which wounded David Estrada in his side. Estrada made a full recovery despite the fact the bullet is still in his body.

Prosecutors proved it was Fisk who shot into the pickup in which Estrada and others were riding on Sparta Highway, with one of the rounds passing through the door and hitting him in the back. Prosecutors say Fisk had said something to the men while they were in line at Wal-Mart minutes earlier. However, a clear-cut motive was never presented as the victims said there was not any heated exchange.

Fisk was linked to the crime by shell casings found on the highway where the shots were fired. The casings were matched days later to a gun which was at a house where Fisk was staying. Officers also found a Wal-Mart receipt in the car which the victim described as the shooter’s car (Fisk’s father’s car which he had borrowed) showing he was in fact in line directly behind them at Wal-Mart.