A 24-year-old Santa Ana man is the second of eight defendants to face charges for the murder of a 16-year-old boy that occurred on January 10. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the man faces life in prison without the possibility of parole after a jury deliberated for two hours and convicted him of first-degree murder, active participation in a criminal street gang, and committing the crime for the gang’s benefit. Officials say he was one of two triggermen who fired into a group of people, but that he was not the actual killer. One of the eight defendants involved in this gang-related murder has pleaded guilty to being an accessory to murder.
California laws are extremely tough when it comes to street gangs. There are many laws in California to combat gang-related activities. Sentencing enhancements for gang affiliation can significantly increase the penalties a defendant faces in Southern California violent crime cases.
For example, California Statute 186.22(b) states that any person “who is convicted of a felony committed for the benefit of, at the direction of, or in association with any criminal street gang, with the specific intent to promote, further, or assist in any criminal conduct by gang members, shall, upon conviction of that felony, in addition and consecutive to the punishment prescribed for the felony or attempted felony of which he or she has been convicted, be punished with an additional term of two, three or four years at the court’s discretion.” If the felony was violent, there is the potential for an additional 10-year term.
The stakes are extremely high for defendants who are facing violent crime charges with gang enhancements. An Orange County gang crime defense attorney at the Law Offices of Jeremy Goldman can defend you against harsh penalties and enhancements for such crimes. If you or a loved one is facing such charges, call us today at (800) 349-1619 for a no-cost consultation.
