Plea deal ends teen's trial in killing of Buffalo Grove High student in 2006

Justice for murder victim Chavario White came too late for his mother Terri, who died last year, before the trial of the man accused of shooting her son outside the family's Wheeling townhouse in 2006.

But justice came at last for White's surviving sisters Monique and Meichielle after Juan Gomez - originally charged with first-degree murder in the death of the 15-year-old Buffalo Grove High School student - pleaded guilty Wednesday to reduced charges of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and aggravated discharge of a firearm.

Gomez's bench trial before Cook County Circuit Court Judge Thomas Fecarotta had almost concluded when prosecutors announced they had reached a plea agreement with Gomez's attorneys. In exchange for his guilty plea, Gomez received a 15-year sentence on the conspiracy charge and eight years on the firearm charge for a total of 23 years.

"He is going to be serving a substantial period of incarceration for the crime he committed," said Cook County Assistant State's Attorney Mike Gerber, pointing out that Gomez must serve the sentences consecutively and must serve at least 50 percent of the 15-year sentence and 85 percent of the eight-year sentence before he's eligible for parole.

Had he been convicted of using a gun to kill White, Gomez would have faced a minimum of 45 years in prison.

Monique White hoped Gomez would receive a sentence at least equal to the length of her brother's too-short life.

"My mom would have liked to have seen justice for her son," she said. "He was a good boy."

Praising police and prosecutors' efforts, she called the sentence a memorial for her mother, adding that she and Chavario "are up there celebrating."

Gomez, who was 15 at the time of the murder, and fellow gang member and getaway car driver Juan Lopez-Tafoya were on a "mission" to kill rival gang members the evening of Sept. 3, 2006, according to testimony in the case. After they failed to locate rival gang members, prosecutors said Gomez fired a .12-gauge shotgun into a group of youngsters standing outside a Colonial Drive townhouse, hitting White in the back of the head.

An apparent innocent bystander, White was killed "because he happened to be standing at the wrong place at the wrong time," said Cook County Assistant State's Attorney Mike Andre.

Initially charged with first-degree murder, Lopez-Tafoya, 26, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit murder and aggravated discharge of a firearm last September and was sentenced to 30 years in prison. He must complete at least half his sentence before he's eligible for parole.

The whereabouts of a third man who Gomez and Lopez-Tafoya said accompanied them on the night of the murder are unknown, but police continue to investigate, Gerber said.

Gomez, whose criminal background includes a conviction for criminal defacement to property, apologized to the court and to White's family.

"I appreciate your words," said Fecarotta, "but there are some things in life that are hard to say you're sorry for.

"This is one of them."