Update: Child Killer Gets 18 Month Sentence

As promised earlier this week when posting about this case, here is (as Paul Harvey would say) the rest of the story.
In speaking with Anna Valentini, the prosecutor who handled the case, I learned the following:

With the exception of a quick errand run when she left the home, Brian del Pino and his girlfriend had spent the entire day with 18-month old Cameron Andrews together. It was during her absence that little Cameron sustained the injuries that ultimately killed him.

Del Pino reportedly sought immediate medical attention for the boy, and was attempting to resuscitate him when emergency personnel arrived. The Defense was prepared to call two expert witnesses who would testify that the child's injuries were consistent with del Pino's version of events, wherein the child was injured accidentally, thus creating the potential for reasonable doubt in the minds of prospective jurors.

The mother and both grandmothers were present at the sentencing hearing earlier this month.

Finally, the defendant walked the straight and narrow for nearly 4 years while out on bond as he awaited trial.

As previously reported, del Pino will serve 10 years of probation after his release from custody, and is therefore subject to a potentially much lengthier period of incarceration if he fails to abide by those requirements.

Given the circumstances, particularly that he made every effort to save the child (unlike many defendants we see), CourtWatch believes the plea agreement was a good one.

Child Killer Gets 18 Months in Prison

Brian del Pino (age at time of offense, 21 yrs), was sentenced last week to 18 months (not years, months) in the Department of Corrections for the 2006 manslaughter death of his girlfriend's 22 month old son, Cameron Andrews. He also agreed to serve 10 years probation and take both anger management and parenting classes.

Eighteen months prison for killing a toddler?

I attempted to contact the Seminole County Assistant State Attorney who handled the case, Anna Valentini, to ask her what the circumstances surrounding the plea negotiations were in this case. Sometimes, plea agreements are the best the State can do when victims are unwilling to testify against their perpetrator. Sometimes the other evidence is not very strong and a jury could easily find reasonable doubt as to the defendant's guilt. When I know more about the particulars in del Pino's case, I will post an update.


Just for comparison, here are the dispositions of others in our community who were charged in the deaths of children since 2007.

Victim: Presayis Skawski (3 months)

Defendant: Heriberto Ayala (member of family)
Offense Date: 5/4/07
Orange County case 2007CF012311: Pled to Aggravated Manslaughter of Child
Sentenced to 25 years in prison.

Victim: Brady Willow (1 year)
Defendant: Benedict Krawczak (mother's boyfriend)
Offense Date: 5/13/07
Orange County case 2007CF007321: Pled to 2nd Degree Murder
Sentenced to 28 years prison + 5 years probation. More info here.

Victim: Samiyah Gammons (2 months)
Defendant: Ventrel "Maurice" Gammons (father)
Offense Date: 5/17/07
Seminole County case 2007CF005849: Jury verdict - guilty of 1st Degree Murder and Aggravated Child Abuse.
Sentenced to LIFE in prison.

Victim: Damian Pickett (infant)
Defendant: William Randolph Pickett II (father)
Offense Date: 7/31/07
Orange County case 2007CF015174: Pled to Manslaughter w/Weapon
Sentenced to 111 months prison

Victim: Levares Key (age 8)
Defendant: Tangela Key (mother)
Offense Date: 9/29/07
Orange County case 2007CF14975: Pled to Neglect of Child Causing Great Harm
Sentenced to 1 year jail + 10 years probation. More info here.

Victim: Amber Shevalier (1 year)
Co-defendants: Kelly Lorraine Shevalier (mother) & Michael Alan Barker (mother's boyfriend)
Offense Date: 1/4/08
Orange County case 2008CF000179 (Shevalier) & 2008CF000159 (Barker)
Barker pled to 2nd Degree Murder and was sentenced to 25 years prison.
Shevalier pled to Neglect of Child got 3 years probation. Shevalier photo not currently available

Victim: Jean-Pierre Tillman (6 months)
Defendant: Gregory Tillman (father)
Offense Date: 2/9/08
Orange County case 2008CF001784: Jury found defendant guilty of 1st Degree Murder, Aggravated Child Abuse and Battery.
Sentenced to LIFE in prison. More info here.

Victim: Cameron Palmer (6 yrs)
Defendant: Tony Gonsoulin (uncle)
Offense Date: 7/3/08
Seminole County case 2008CF003416: Pled to 2nd degree murder
Sentenced to 20 years in prison.

Victim: Kenny Penaloza-Torres (21 months)
Defendant: Edwin Gabriel Ramos (mother's boyfriend)
Offense Date: 9/10/08
Orange County case 2008CF013887: Pled to 2nd degree murder
Sentenced to 30 years in prison + 20 years probation.

Victim: Ashley Diaz (4 months)
Defendant: Katie Furtaw (mother)
Offense Date: 8/11/09
Orange County case 2009CF012414: Charges dropped
More info here.









Several cases are still working their way through the system. For a complete list, click here.