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Officers lead Jose Vigoa out of the courtroom Friday after District Judge Kathy Hardcastle sentenced him to life in prison with no chance of parole. Photo by Clint Karlsen. Gary Prestidge Sr. wipes away tears Friday while making a statement to District Judge Kathy Hardcastle during Jose Vigoa's sentencing hearing. Prestidge's son was shot to death during a robbery in 2000. Photo by Clint Karlsen.

Saturday, August 17, 2002
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Man who led crime spree gets life term

Vigoa's rampage included slayings of two Henderson armored car guards in 2000

A district judge made it official Friday: Jose Vigoa will spend the rest of his life in prison for his role in a violent crime spree that included the shooting deaths of two armored car guards in Henderson.

"We are grateful that Jose Vigoa will never walk the streets of Las Vegas again," Chief Deputy District Attorney David Roger said. "We just hope that he doesn't hurt someone in prison."

Vigoa, 41, accepted a plea bargain in June that spared him the death penalty but guaranteed that he never would receive a chance at parole.

Roger called the defendant "one of the most dangerous criminals in the history of Clark County."

In resolving the case, Vigoa pleaded guilty to dozens of criminal counts, including the murders of Gary Prestidge II, 23, and Richard Sosa, 47.

The two men were killed during a robbery on March 3, 2000, outside the Ross Dress for Less store in Henderson. They were working for Armored Transport of Nevada.

Vigoa also pleaded guilty to charges that stemmed from a June escape attempt at the Clark County Detention Center, where he used a small chunk of a broken mirror to chip a 5- to 6-inch hole in a thick cell window.

Authorities took extraordinary security measures Friday for Vigoa's sentencing hearing, as they have for his previous court appearances.

The defendant came to court wearing padded orange mitts over his hands and was guarded in the courtroom by eight law enforcement officers, including members of the jail's Special Emergency Response Team.

District Judge Kathy Hardcastle listened to statements from Vigoa and Gary Prestidge Sr. during the 12-minute hearing.

Vigoa apologized for his crimes, then added, "I can't erase the past."

Gary Prestidge Sr. fought back tears as he talked about his slain son.

"He was a good boy and had a kind and loving heart," the father said. "He loved his family very much, and his family loved him very much."

After the hearing, Gary Prestidge Sr. described the experience of delivering a victim-impact statement in court as "devastating."

"To face the man who admitted to killing my son, it was the most difficult thing I've ever done," he said.

Gary Prestidge Sr., a dealer at The Mirage, said his son's death has left him feeling alone. He said the two had a close relationship.

"I cry myself to sleep most nights," the father said. "I sit at home waiting for him to come home."

He said he wanted Vigoa to receive a death sentence and was not convinced that the man felt any remorse for his crimes.

Marlene Huderski came to court Friday hoping to deliver a victim-impact statement on behalf of her 58-year-old husband, Kenneth, a Brinks employee who was robbed by Vigoa in October 1999 at Mandalay Bay. She was not permitted to do so.

The woman said her husband chose not to attend the hearing. "He didn't want to relive, he didn't want to see that gentleman," she said.

Marlene Huderski said Vigoa placed a gun to her husband's head during the robbery. The woman said both she and her husband had to see a therapist to overcome the emotional stress caused by the crime.

Authorities considered Vigoa the mastermind of the crime spree, which included a Sept. 20, 1998, robbery at the MGM Grand, an attempted robbery on June 28, 1999, at the Desert Inn, and a June 3, 2000, robbery at Bellagio.

Vigoa was born in Cuba and moved to the United States as an adult. He has a wife and three daughters.

Deputy Public Defender Drew Christensen said Vigoa's family members did not attend Friday's hearing but continue to stand by him.

"They found it awkward to appear in court with all the publicity it has received," the attorney said.

Oscar Cisneros Sanchez, 23, implicated himself and Vigoa in all the crimes before killing himself in October 2000 at the county jail. Pedro Duarte and Luis Suarez, two suspects accused of conspiring to commit robberies with Vigoa and Sanchez, are awaiting trial.