Teen Gets House Arrest And Probation In Brother’s Death In Coatesville

WEST CHESTER, PA — A Coatesville teenager was sentenced in the Chester County Justice Center Tuesday to six months to a year on house arrest followed by five years of probation for leaving out the loaded gun that his brother used to accidentally shoot himself.

Victor Lara-Ortiz pleaded guilty before Judge Analisa Sondergaard to involuntary manslaughter and related charges.

Lara-Ortiz is a senior at Coatesville Area High School.

Judge Sondergaard noted that since his brother’s death, community members came together to support him and he re-enrolled in school, earning good grades and participating in activities with the goal of attending college.

At the time of the shooting, the judge said, Lara-Ortiz had been expelled from high school.

“The defendant’s criminal actions had devastating and irrevocable consequences, and it cost the life of an innocent child," District Attorney Deb Ryan said.

The boy, Roman Aguilera-Ortiz, died of an accidental self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, according to the Chester County coroner's office.

Police said Lara-Ortiz was not home when his brother died and had left his Glock on a table by his bed.

Detectives said Lara-Ortiz admitted the gun was his and said he often left it unholstered and unsecured in his bedroom.

Lara-Ortiz’s lawyer, Troy Crichton, of Philadelphia, presented witnesses who testified Lara-Ortiz has been suffering from his brother’s death.

Deputy Assistant District Attorney Erin O’Brien asked for prison.

Co-defendant, William Thomas, 31, is in Chester County Prison in lieu of $50,000 bail on charges of illegally purchasing and transferring the firearm to Lara-Ortiz, delivery of a firearm to a minor, and related charges.

According to police records, detectives traced the gun's serial number through the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

They discovered that the Trop Gun Shop in Gap, Lancaster County, sold it to defendant William Thomas on Feb. 15.

Thomas was not allowed to license or purchase a firearm because of a prior criminal conviction.

Police said Thomas used Lara-Ortiz's phone number instead of his own and failed to report his prior conviction.

Police learned that Thomas illegally transferred the semi-automatic Glock 43x to Lara-Ortiz the same day he purchased it.

]An examination of Lara-Ortiz's cell phone showed a video of Lara-Ortiz firing the Glock from a car on Feb. 16 in Valley Township.