A Nueces County jury sentenced a Corpus Christi teenager on Monday to 45 years in prison after a jury found him guilty of attempting to kill a Corpus Christi police officer.
Carlos Lee Suarez Jr., 17, was convicted of attempted capital murder of a peace officer, two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and possession of a prohibited weapon.
Suarez received 45 years in prison for attempted capital murder of a peace officer. He was also sentenced to 20 years for one count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, seven years for a second aggravated assault charge, and 10 years for possession of a prohibited weapon.
The sentencing followed a jury’s finding of guilt on all four charges.
During the punishment phase of the trial, jurors heard testimony from the Corpus Christi police officer, prosecutors said Suarez attempted to shoot while trying to avoid arrest in December 2024.
The officer told jurors he came within inches of being killed during the encounter. Prosecutors used a courtroom demonstration to show how close a bullet came to striking the officer in the head.
Jurors also heard testimony from Suarez’s family members, who acknowledged he should be punished but asked for leniency because of his age.
Prosecutors argued Suarez posed an ongoing danger to the community and sought a life sentence. Defense attorneys urged jurors to consider that Suarez was a teenager at the time of the offenses and argued he deserved an opportunity to rebuild his life.
According to prosecutors, the case began in July 2024 when Suarez allegedly threatened two juveniles with a handgun. Months later, authorities said he attempted to shoot a Corpus Christi police officer during an arrest attempt.
Prosecutors also alleged Suarez possessed a handgun equipped with a Glock switch, which allows a firearm to fire automatically.
Because of the seriousness of the allegations, Suarez was certified to stand trial as an adult after being transferred from juvenile court.