Lubbock Teen Gets 35 Years in Prison for Aggravated Robbery

A teenager in Lubbock has pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated robbery that took place in 2024. As a result, he was sentenced to 35 years in prison.

How This Lubbock Teen Got Arrested

On January 17, 2024, 19-year-old Zion Perez, along with an unnamed 15-year-old cohort, attempted to steal a car from Carolyn Batteas, 78, Everything Lubbock reported.

At one point during the altercation, Batteas was struck in the head with a gun, prompting a nearby pedestrian, Paul Curran, 67, to intervene. Perez allegedly shot at Curran before fleeing in the stolen vehicle.

Lubbock Police Department (LPD) noticed the stolen car traveling near the 600 block of East 19th Street before pulling it over for a traffic stop. It was here where officers found Perez, the unnamed accomplice, pistols and ski masks in the vehicle.

Miraculously, Curran was uninjured from the attack, while Batteas was sent to the hospital to be treated with moderate injuries.

Perez's Criminal Charges

Originally, both Perez and his friend were each charged with attempted capital murder—a second-degree felony in Texas—and aggravated robbery. You can learn more about the difference between a misdemeanor and a felony in Texas here.

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Eventually, the charges were lowered to just two counts of aggravated robbery, both of which Perez pleaded guilty to. One count consisted of 20 years in prison while the other was 35 years. He will serve each sentence concurrently, resulting in a total sentence of 35 years.

How Does Texas Define Aggravated Robbery?

Anyone charged with aggravated robbery in the Lone Star State means they were convicted of robbing someone while causing serious bodily injury or through the use of a deadly weapon.

Classified as a first-degree felony, punishments can range anywhere between 5 and 99 years in prison along with a fine of up to $10,000.