Convicted Round Lake murderer gets five more years for perjury

Justin Houghtaling's decision to change his testimony during Kenneth Smith's murder trial last year didn't help his friend stay out of prison.

It did, however, extend his own stay behind bars.

Houghtaling, 27, was sentenced by a McHenry County judge today to five more years in the Illinois Department of Corrections after pleading guilty to a perjury charge stemming from his testimony at Smith's trial in August 2008.

The former Round Lake man won't begin serving the five-year term until after he completes a 20-year sentence he has been serving since 2001, when he admitted to participating in the same slaying for which he tried to help Smith avoid punishment.

"Obviously we take it very seriously when someone lies under oath in any case, and particularly in a first-degree murder case," Assistant McHenry County State's Attorney Michael Combs said.

The charge to which Houghtaling admitted alleged he lied when he told jurors last year that Smith had not handed him a ski mask in March 2001 before they attempted an armed robbery of the Burrito Express restaurant in McHenry. That contradicted testimony Houghtaling gave in 2002 during another co-defendant's trial.

The restaurant's owner, Raul Briseno, was shot to death by Smith when he chased the two would-be robbers out of the store, captured Houghtaling and tried to detain him while police were called.

Four other perjury charges against Houghtaling were dismissed as part of his plea agreement today.

Despite Houghtaling's efforts, jurors convicted Smith, 33, formerly of Park City, of first-degree murder and he later was sentenced to 67 years in prison.

Today's plea deal does not end Houghtaling's legal troubles. He now will be turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to face charges he mailed a threatening letter to a federal judge in Chicago.