Man convicted of shooting at Toledo police officer

6/17/2011

BLADE STAFF

Martin Cheno, 20, is arraigned in Toledo Municipal Court in this July 20, 2010, file photo.

Gang member Martin Cheno faces the possibility of at least 18 consecutive years in prison following his conviction Friday morning of shooting at a Toledo police officer.

After five hours of deliberation that began Thursday night, the jury convinced Cheno, 21, of 1715 Parkdale Ave., of attempted aggravated murder.

Judge Ruth Ann Franks can sentence him to 10 years in prison on that charge when she sentences him in Lucas County Common Pleas Court on June 24, as well as three years for his conviction on a firearms specification, five years for his conviction on a specification of shooting from a motor vehicle, and seven years for his conviction on discharging a weapon at a peace officer.

It is not immediately known if the prison time for the latter specification must be served concurrent with one of the other charges, or if it can be served consecutively, according to Jeff Lingo, assistant Lucas County prosecutor and chief of the prosecutor’s office criminal division.

Mr. Lingo said evidence presented at the trial showed Mr. Cheno is part of the Surenos 13 gang, known as SUR13, and that he was one of four members of that gang who were together when at least one of them shot up an ATM machine at a Charter One Bank on Southwyck Boulevard near the former Southwyck Shopping Center last July 19.

Toledo Police Officer George Shaughnessy testified during the trial on Tuesday he “started taking fire” after being sent to that location to investigate. His patrol car was shot up as he attempted to pull over the vehicle the men were in.

Eleven shots were believed to have been fired, five of which hit Officer Shaughnessy’s patrol car.

Cheno is one of four Surenos 13 gang members indicted in March by a Lucas County grand jury on charges related to a series of other robberies at gas stations, convenience stores, and at least one bank last summer.