UPDATE: MAN FOUND GUILTY FOR SHOOTING AT SHERIFF DEPUTIES GETS 75 YEARS
El Paso County Sheriff's Office
3850 Justice Dr. El Paso, Texas 79938 
NEWS RELEASE
Contact: Deputy Jesse Tovar / Public Information Officer
Direct: (915) 538-2223
Pager: (915) 533-0733 (#5370)
Release Date & Time: Wednesday, August 20, 2008 9:00 am
WHO: El Paso County Sheriff's Office (Upper Valley Patrol)
WHAT: 2007 Westway, TX -Shooting Suspect found "Guilty" for 2 counts of Criminal Attempted Capital Murder sentenced to 75 years
WHERE: 8600 block of Essex, (West El Paso County/Westway).
WHEN: Wednesday, March 7, 2007 at 9:40 p.m.
WHY: Dispatch call “Shots Fired.”
SENTENCED TO 75 YEARS
INFORMATION:
El Paso, TX- Late yesterday afternoon 08-19-08, Raul Portillo Avalos (29) was sentenced to 75 years in prison in the 120th District Court before Judge Maria Salas-Mendoza. Avalos was found "GUILTY" on 07-31-08 for 2 counts of Criminal Attempted Capital Murder from an incident in March 2007 when Avalos used a handgun to fire at Sheriff Deputies.
Background:
Wednesday, March 7, 2007 at 9:40 PM, El Paso County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a call of “Shots Fired” in the Westway area of west El Paso County, Texas.
A male subject reportedly fired off several rounds near the intersection of Essex and Applewood. Deputies responded to the scene and didn’t encounter anyone at that location. Deputies began canvassing the area. One Deputy encountered a male subject near Essex and Southwood.
Deputy Raymundo Carranza, responded to the area & found Avalos at about the 7500 block of Essex. As Deputy Carranza approached, Avalos allegedly turned around & fired several shots before running north on Essex.
Coming from the opposite direction, Deputy Giovanni Segoviano spotted Avalos near the intersection of Essex & Tiffany Roads & tried to stop Avalos, who then fired at Segoviano in his patrol car.
Both Deputies who were shot at did return fire right before the subject fled into the dark neighborhood.
The male subject was found at a residence (8601 Essex). Deputies surrounded the home and were able to coax him into surrendering peacefully. A three block crime scene was sealed off as Detectives searched the area. The weapon used by the male subject was recovered with the assistance of a Sheriff's Office Search & Rescue K-9 and his handler. The Search and Rescue Team was also activated to assist. Additional evidence was recovered at various locations within the crime scene. No one was injured. An investigation of the crime scene continued through the night & into the afternoon the next day.
The male subject was identified as Raul Avalos (29 years old) of El Paso County, Texas. He was charged with two counts of Criminal Attempted Capital Murder. His bond at the time was set at $150,000.00.
Raul Avalos (29)-Guilty on 2 counts for Criminal Attempted Capital Murder gets 75 years in prison
END OF NEWS RELEASE
The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office in March of 2001 was the first Sheriff’s Office in the State of Texas to be Internationally Accredited from CALEA and is now the recipient of the First CALEA Tri-Arc award in Texas (4th in the Nation) to have accreditations in: Law Enforcement, Communications, Training Academy.