Woman who was with man who shot deputy sentenced to prison
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IDAHO FALLS — The woman who robbed two people outside a Panda Express — allegedly working with the man who later shot a Bingham County deputy — has been sent to prison.
Denise Lynne Williams was sentenced to 15 years in prison with a minimum of five years last week. She was sentenced for two counts of felony robbery and one count of burglary. As part of the plea agreement, two robbery charges were dismissed, and prosecutors only recommended a maximum fixed sentence of five years.
Williams was caught on camera with a man, believed to be Juan Santos-Quintero, robbing two other men at the Panda Express on 25th East in Ammon in September 2018.
Police reports show during the Sept. 15 robbery at Panda Express, Williams and Santos-Quintero were driving a black 1998 Ford Expedition that had been reported missing the previous day.
The person who reported the vehicle missing told investigators he lent it to a friend for a couple of days. Investigators tracked down the person who borrowed the vehicle. She told them she had left it parked on the side of the road for the owner to pick up.
Documents indicate Williams and Santos-Quintero took the car after it was left on the side of the road.
During the robbery, Williams and the man believed to be Santos-Quintero pulled up next to two men standing outside of the Panda Express and got out of the vehicle. Santos-Quintero allegedly punched one of the men multiple times in the face and hit him over the head with a gun before taking $102 out of his wallet.
Williams grabbed the other man by the arm and took two grocery bags from him. The grocery bags reportedly contained school supplies and soccer gear.
On Sept. 17, the Ford was found abandoned near 1105 Russet Street in Idaho Falls. One of the stolen bags was inside.
Williams was taken into custody Sept. 21.
During Santos-Quintero’s trial for shooting Sgt. Todd Howell on Sept. 21, Williams refused to testify after being brought to the stand. District Judge Darren Simpson charged her with contempt of court for every question she refused to answer.
Williams was identified as being with Santos-Quintero the day he shot Howell. She was seen going into the home in Firth with Santos-Quintero and then leaving before the shooting.
Although Santos-Quintero was found guilty in the shooting of Howell, he is waiting on court proceedings on the robbery near Panda Express.