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Man gets more than 6 years for posting police threat video By CURT ANDERSON, Associated Press Writer
Thu May 15, 4:16 AM ET
MIAMI - A reputed street gang leader was sentenced to more than six years in prison after posting an Internet video threatening police with guns and taunting them to arrest him.
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Rudy Villanueva, 31, was sentenced Wednesday. He denied that he was a co-founder of the "Bird Road Boys" and insisted that he was only kidding around with friends when the video was made late last year. It was posted Jan. 3 on YouTube and immediately got the attention of Miami police, who took Villanueva up on his offer to "come get some whenever you're ready."
Police found five weapons at the apartment where the video was recorded, along with two 30-round clips and 780 rounds of ammunition.
Villanueva pleaded guilty in February to being a felon in possession of firearms. The AK-47 assault rifle and shotgun he brandished in the video were owned by 22-year-old Anthony Logan, who pleaded guilty to giving Villanueva the guns and got a sentence of just over a year.
"We's out here, we fighting a cold war," Villanueva said on the video. "Metro Dade Gang Unit, here I am baby."
Villanueva testified it was all a misunderstanding and that he never sought to threaten the police or anyone else.
But U.S. District Judge Marcia Cooke, noting that Villanueva had 15 prior arrests including a felony conviction for battery, said a defense of goofing off wasn't going to cut it for a grown man.
Thu May 15, 4:16 AM ET
MIAMI - A reputed street gang leader was sentenced to more than six years in prison after posting an Internet video threatening police with guns and taunting them to arrest him.
ADVERTISEMENT
Rudy Villanueva, 31, was sentenced Wednesday. He denied that he was a co-founder of the "Bird Road Boys" and insisted that he was only kidding around with friends when the video was made late last year. It was posted Jan. 3 on YouTube and immediately got the attention of Miami police, who took Villanueva up on his offer to "come get some whenever you're ready."
Police found five weapons at the apartment where the video was recorded, along with two 30-round clips and 780 rounds of ammunition.
Villanueva pleaded guilty in February to being a felon in possession of firearms. The AK-47 assault rifle and shotgun he brandished in the video were owned by 22-year-old Anthony Logan, who pleaded guilty to giving Villanueva the guns and got a sentence of just over a year.
"We's out here, we fighting a cold war," Villanueva said on the video. "Metro Dade Gang Unit, here I am baby."
Villanueva testified it was all a misunderstanding and that he never sought to threaten the police or anyone else.
But U.S. District Judge Marcia Cooke, noting that Villanueva had 15 prior arrests including a felony conviction for battery, said a defense of goofing off wasn't going to cut it for a grown man.
