Bethlehem man gets up to 20 years for robbing, beating men who were lured to vacant Allentown home

Juan Alberto Ramos, 43, got nearly twice the sentence of others involved in the robbery because prosecutors say he lied on the stand and helped his accomplices get off.

A Bethlehem man was sentenced to 9 1/2 to 20 years in state prison today for helping beat and rob two men after a woman lured them into a vacant Allentown home last year.

Juan Alberto Ramos, 43, was given nearly twice the sentence of others involved in the case because prosecutors say Ramos lied during court testimony, which helped result in other alleged accomplices being found not guilty.

Ramos said he "made a mistake" but asked for a lenient sentence, citing his life-long battle with drugs. But that failed to sway Lehigh County Judge Kelly Banach, who called his actions "disgraceful."

"I don't mean to be harsh, but you may be the last person who deserves leniency in this courtroom," Banach said. "I don't know if I've ever seen someone who deserves less leniency than you."

Ramos, along with two other men, beat and robbed Mario and Justo Rodriguez at a home in the 700 block of Gordon Street on Jan. 5, 2011, according to court testimony.

The Rodriguez brothers were allegedly lured there by Chrissy Martinez, 27, who had met the brothers earlier that night at the B&B Piano Bar at 248 N. 9th Street, according to testimony.

Authorities previously said that Ramos committed the robbery along with Jose Anebar Diaz, 41, and Alexander Castro, 25, and that Luis Hernandez-Nunez, 30, of Allentown, orchestrated the crime.

Ramos confirmed that account to police after his arrest, but then testified at the trial for both men that they were not involved in the case and that he participated in the robbery on his own accord, according to authorities.

Hernandez-Nunez was convicted by a jury after a trial last month, but Castro was found not guilty. Diaz pleaded guilty last month and was sentenced to 5 to 10 years in prison.

Senior Deputy District Attorney Tonya Tharp said she believed others responsible for the robbery walked free because of Ramos, which made the experience even more traumatic for the Rodriguez brothers.

"These two men had to relive that terrible night in court," Tharp said. "Then, on top of being victimized that night, they had to come into court and be victimized a second time after (Ramos) lied."

Ramos pleaded guilty last month to two counts of robbery and one count each of burglary, aggravated assault and conspiracy to commit robbery.

Banach questioned why Ramos changed his story when it came time to testify, and suggested it may have been because Ramos owed a drug money debt to one of the people involved in the case.

"I was scared," Ramos said when questioned by the judge. When asked why he was scared, Ramos said, "I thought I did the right thing helping people who weren't involved."

Banach said she did not believe Ramos.

"Didn't you realize you can't mess with the Commonwealth?" she said. "You can't mess with their case. It has consequences."

Ramos, wearing a dark blue prison jumpsuit, wept before he was sentenced, indicating he did not want to be taken away from his young grandchildren for a long time.

As he was escorted from the courtroom, Ramos waved to his ex-wife and her daughter, who watched the sentencing hearing but did not speak during it.

Hernandez-Nunez is expected to be sentenced before Banach on Tuesday morning.

Diaz received a much lesser sentence for his guilty plea because Tharp offered him a plea bargain after he cooperated with the police. No such offer was extended to Ramos.

Martinez is still awaiting trial on her own charges of robbery and aggravated assault, according to court records.

Contact Allentown reporter Colin McEvoy at 484-894-2549 or cmcevoy@express-times.com.

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