Key West man faces a minimum of 25 years in Florida State Prison

A Key West man faces a minimum of 25 years in Florida State Prison following his conviction for shooting another man in the back and paralyzing him from the waist down.

On February 15, a six-person jury convicted Anthony Joseph Valdes, 43, of aggravated battery with special firearms findings (he possessed and discharged a firearm causing great bodily harm). Valdes shot Ray Anthony Alvarez, 31, at Valdes’ residence on Duck Avenue on or early into October 15, 2015.

Valdes had been charged with attempted second-degree murder with a firearm inflicting great bodily harm but was convicted of the lesser-included offense. Sentencing is scheduled for March 12 before Monroe County Circuit Court Judge Mark Jones, who presided over the case. Assistant state attorneys Val Winter and Christine Poist represented the state in the five-day trial.

In testimony, the state and the defense agreed Alvarez and Valdes had been acquaintances for years and that Alvarez went to Valdes’ house the night of the shooting. They also agreed that while at the house, Alvarez stole some $500.

When confronted by Valdes, Alvarez initially denied stealing the money but then admitted it and said he gave the money back, according to testimony. However, Valdes maintained Alvarez refused to admit taking the money and the situation escalated in the house. An argument inside spilled into the front yard.

While the two were in the yard arguing, someone living across the street and Valdes’ significant other who was in the house called 911 after a gunshot was heard. Valdes had shot Alvarez in the back, as well as in his leg and arm, according to testimony and evidence entered into the record. The significant other testified that after the shooting, Valdes found the money in one of Alvarez’s shoes while Alvarez was on the ground after being shot.

Valdes’ defense was Alvarez became more aggressive as they argued about the money and that he was in fear for his life and acted in self-defense. Alvarez testified he was “pleading for my life” while Valdes was pointing the gun at him inside the house and that he had tried to leave the house after returning the money.

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