Plea Deal Sends Bryan Murderer to Prison

By: Steve Fullhart - Email

Posted: Fri 12:57 PM, Apr 15, 2011

A Bryan man with ties to gangs and accused of murder is off to prison after a plea deal Friday.

Johnathan Orta, 22, was sentenced to 40 years in prison on a murder charge and 40 years on a charge of engaging in organized criminal activity. The sentences will run concurrently.

Orta is one of four men arrested for the Mothers Day 2010 murder of Christopher Hutchson. The 17-year-old was gunned down in the backyard of a West 17th Street home. It's believed that Orta and his accomplices fought with Hutchson and a friend, then chased them through the neighborhood before shooting him.

Orta was arrested in Nueces County.

Jacob Hernandez, Manuel Gusman and Jose Reyes were also arrested in connection with the Hutchson murder.

Because there was an affirmative deadly weapon finding on the charge of engaging in organized criminal activity charge, Orta must serve at least 20 of his 40-year sentence before he is eligible for parole.

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Plea Deal Sends Bryan Murderer to Prison

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