Woman Gets 20 Years for Holding up CFO of Popcornopolis

A 23-year-old woman was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for holding the chief financial officer of a gourmet popcorn business hostage in El Segundo last year.

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Leonora Banuelos was sentenced by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge James Dabney immediately after entering a no contest plea to one count each of attempted murder and assault with a firearm.

Banuelos was armed with a handgun when she came to work at Popcornopolis on April 16, 2013, looking for another employee. Prosecutors said Banuelos was distraught about a failed relationship with the co-worker. When she couldn’t find the man, she went into the CFO’s office and held him at gunpoint.

Banuelos surrendered to police after a three-hour standoff.

--City News Service

PHOTO Patch file photo.

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