Seven years for kidnapper captured by SFPD gun crime cops after rooftop chase
A Norteño gang member wanted for kidnapping, whose attempt to point a gun at SFPD cops was thwarted when his hand hit a staircase railing as he turned to aim, causing his loaded gun to crash to the ground, was sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment at San Francisco federal courthouse today.
Pedro Juarez, 33, was convicted by a federal jury check in September 2024 of ‘being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition’ stemming from an incident in August 2023.
The jury heard that Juarez kidnapped his on/off girlfriend in San Jose and forced her to drive with him to San Francisco in August 2023. She called police from a Bayview gas station to report that she had been assaulted, that her boyfriend was armed, and that she was in fear for her life.
Officers from SFPD’s gun crime unit promptly tracked Juarez to a home on Oakdale Avenue in the city’s Bayview neighborhood. On seeing him leave the residence officers endeavored to arrest Juarez, who immediately fled back inside the building with police in pursuit.
“Juarez reached for the center of his waistline,” testified SFPD Officer Kenneth Anderson at trial.
“In his right hand I saw a firearm. I drew my firearm…[I] continued chasing him down the hallway. As he got to the middle of the staircase and he started to turn, as he turned, his right hand hit the rail and he dropped the gun.”
Juarez subequently continued climbing the outdoor stairway on his way to the top of the building where he then attempted to jump to the roof of the next building only to fall and become stuck between the two.
Officers were then able to effect an arrest.
The court was told that Juarez had a “long and violent” criminal history which includes him brandishing a loaded firearm at a San Francisco Pride event (2013), being arrested by SFPD in an illegal after-hours bar with a loaded gun (2015), threatening to kill police and fighting paramedics before being found with a gun in his car (2020), and drunk driving leading to another assault on a police officer (2021),
He was on supervised release at the time of the incident.
This morning, in courtroom number six of San Francisco federal courthouse, Juarez surprised U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer by protesting his innocence.
“The police officers made a huge mistake,” Juarez said. “I had a beer bottle, I never had a gun. I understand their job is stressful, that they’re under pressure a lot, but they made a huge mistake.”
“The only mistake I made was dealing with a woman who is not mentally right.”
“You are asking me, essentially, to nullify a jury verdict,” replied Breyer who observed that Juarez had elected not to testify during the proceedings.
“I don’t think I have been in this position before.”
“The officers,” the judge told Juarez, “whatever you believe [about] the officers’ motivation and so forth, it did not appear that they were lying — not to the court.”
Breyer then spent a full five minutes reciting Juarez’ entire criminal history to him.
“You have to realize that, in my view, I am convinced that Mr Juarez is dangerous — very dangerous,” said the judge.
“He may be dangerous to himself and he’s certainly a danger to the community.”
“I am going to upwardly depart,” Breyer concluded, referring to his decision to increase the sentence from the calculated guideline range, “something I have done only once or twice in 26 years.”
Breyer handed down a seven year sentence. He had earlier determined that a sentence enhancement proposed by Government attorneys could not be applied because it was not shown that Juarez used the gun during the kidnapping itself – notwithstanding the victim’s credible testimony that she knew he always carried it and believed he had it with him.
The court was told that state authorities in Santa Clara County also intend to proceed with a case relating to the kidnapping.
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