Webb City man who beat, choked threatened to kill man because he served in National Guard, pleads guilty

A Webb City man was sentenced to 10 years in prison Monday for the June 27, 2018, assault of a Joplin man.

Under the terms of a plea bargain agreement with the Jasper County Prosecuting Attorney's office, Sergio Zuniga, 25, pleaded guilty to assault and armed criminal action.

Kidnapping and robbery charges were dismissed.

Jasper County Circuit Court Judge David Mouton sentenced Zuniga to seven years for assault and three years for armed criminal action with the terms to be served consecutively.

Zuniga's co-defendant, Moses Ramsey, 27, pleaded guilty January 14 and was sentenced to 10 years for kidnapping, 10 years for assault, and 10 years for stealing with the terms to run concurrently.

Zuniga and Ramsey's crimes were described in the probable cause statement.

On June 27, 2018, between the hours of 0000 and 1400, Sergio Zuniga and Moses Ramsey did assault the victim A. W. Zuniga and Ramsey confronted the victim A. W. and demanded money from his paycheck.

When A. W. refused to give them money, Zuniga and Ramsey beat A. W. by hitting him and kicking him until he became unconscious. They then tied his hands and feet and gagged him.

Once A. W. was tied up, Zuniga and Ramsey continued to punch and kick A. W. They then dragged A. W. into the bathroom where they threw him into the bathtub, wrapped the shower certain around his neck cutting off his airflow and threatened to kill him.

Zuniga and Ramsey also threatened to kill him. Zuniga and Ramsey also threatened A. W. with a with a large fixed blade knife with a blade in excess of six inches.

During this ongoing assault, Zuniga and Ramsey robbed A. W. of his wallet, pants and cell phone.

As the assault occurred over multiple hours, Zuniga and Ramsey kept A. W. at the residence against his will. A. W. was transported to the hospital for injuries from the assault where it was confirmed A. W. suffered from a concussion and a fractured left cheekbone.

A. W. stated that he was in fear Zuniga and Ramsey were going to kill him and assaulted him because he had been in the National Guard, which Zuniga and Ramsey told A. W. was the same as being a police officer.