60-Year Sentences for Gun Violence Murderers Whitten and Aleman

Two Houston men have been meted out long prison sentences, each getting 60 years behind bars for separate murders that plagued the city with gun violence. In a crackdown on crime, their convictions signal a no-tolerance policy towards violent retributions, as reported by the Houston Chronicle and the Harris County District Attorney's office.

Kurt Whitten, 21, earned his 60-year sentence after pleading guilty to a vengeful shooting, hunting down and killing Jeremiah Joshua Ponce and Thomas Anthony Alvarado in North Houston. Striking with an assault rifle, Whitten's violent spree came after claiming he was jumped by the two men earlier that evening. Meanwhile, Jonathan Aleman, 32, was sentenced after admitting to killing Bradley Barker and Binel Gasery Jr. on the busy I-10, stemming from a purported robbery involving his friend. 

As detailed by the Houston Chronicle, Whitten's spree was premeditated, taking to the streets with an associate, Oscar Cabrera, who faces pending capital murder charges. “This was more than just a premeditated act of gun violence — this defendant’s every intention was to hurt, maim and kill, and now two families will spend the rest of their lives in mourning,” District Attorney Kim Ogg said in a statement. Whitten's partner-in-crime, Cabrera, is awaiting trial scheduled for the following month.

On the other hand, Aleman’s brazen mid-traffic shootout stirred terror on the East Freeway. He didn't stop firing until a courageous passerby intervened by opening fire on him, said Assistant District Attorney Karen Barney in a narrative recounted by the Harris County District Attorney's office. Ogg added, "There is no place in our community for this kind of extreme gun violence." Witnesses first thought the attack was a mass shooting, and Barney noted, “Thank goodness for the good Samaritan who forced the gunman back into his car and off the highway.”

While parole is on the table for Whitten after 30 years, both men are mandated to confront the enormity of their actions from behind bars, as per the rulings of the justice system.