Kensington Man Gets 45+ Years For Ambush Wounding of Phila. Cop
By Tony Hanson
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A 30-year-old Kensington man was sentenced today to 45-100 years in prison for shooting a Philadelphia police officer in 2010 (see previous story), during a car-stop ambush conducted in military style with military-grade weapons (see related story).
Defendant Anel Cuenas has a history of drug convictions and still faces a long list of open drug charges.
Prosecutor Brian Zarallo says officers Kevin Livewell and his partner, Brian Issel -- in uniform and marked patrol car -- answered the call of "men with guns" because they were nearby.
"And within seconds of that call," Zarallo says, "they are being shot at, with AK-47s. An officer (Livewell) has the lower portion of his leg shot through, clean through. Another officer (Issel) is in the middle of gunfire while people running up the street."
Zarrallo says Cuenas fired the shot that hit Officer Livewell.
Police recovered four military assault weapons and other guns, plus extended clips, armor-piercing bullets, and masks in the van.
And although authorities still don't know what the defendants were up to, the judge said there was "a mission to kill" that night and she believes a murder was prevented by the actions of these officers.
Today, both officers said they are satisfied with Cuenas' sentence.
Two other men were also convicted in this case. The other shooter is serving a 20-40 year sentence and the driver is serving a 10-25 year sentence.
