FOUR JUVENILE GANG MEMBERS CHARGED AS ADULTS FOR ASSAULTING 14-YEAR-OLD IN RETALIATORY RIVAL GANG ATTACK

FOUR JUVENILE GANG MEMBERS CHARGED AS ADULTS FOR ASSAULTING 14-YEAR-OLD IN RETALIATORY RIVAL GANG ATTACK

*Three additional juvenile gang members charged as adults last week for murder during same attack

LAGUNA NIGUEL – Four juvenile San Juan Capistrano gang members have been charged as adults for assaulting a 14-year-old in a rival gang attack that left their 14-year-old co-conspirator dead. Juan Arriaga, 17, Victor Arriaga, 16, Erick Quezada, 15, and Efrain Segura, 17, were charged yesterday as adults with felonies for one count of conspiracy to commit a crime, one count of aggravated assault, one count of possession of a deadly weapon, one count of street terrorism, one misdemeanor count of destroying or concealing evidence, and a sentencing enhancement for criminal street gang activity.  If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum sentence of 11 years and eight months in state prison. Juan Arriaga, Victor Arriaga, Quezada, and Segura are being held on $100,000 bail and are scheduled for continued arraignment June 23, 2008, at 8:30 a.m. in Department S-2, Harbor Justice Center, Laguna Niguel.

In a related case (case #08SF0509), three juvenile San Clemente gang members were directly filed as adults on charges of murdering Jonathan Mendez, a rival gang member, by assaulting him with a concrete block. Jesus Borja, 14, Alejandro Hurtado, 14, and Juan Sanchez, 14, all of San Clemente, were charged June 11, 2008, as adults with one felony count of murder, one felony count of street terrorism, and a sentencing enhancement for criminal street gang activity. Each defendant faces a maximum sentence of 25 years to life in prison if convicted. Borja, Hurtado, and Sanchez are being held on $1 million bail and are scheduled for continued arraignment July 22, 2008, at 8:30 a.m. in Department H-1, Harbor Justice Center, Newport Beach.

On June 6, 2008, Juan Arriaga, Victor Arriaga, Quezada, and Segura, along with 14-year-old Jonathan Mendez, all San Juan Capistrano gang members, went to a smoke shop in San Clemente. The five men are accused of conspiring to drive into a rival San Clemente gang neighborhood to retaliate after a rival gang member flashed a gang sign at them in the smoke shop. They are accused of driving to the San Clemente gang neighborhood armed with weapons, including a metal pipe and tire iron, and walking through the neighborhood with the intention of assaulting any rival gang member they could find. Juan Arriaga, Victor Arriaga, Quezada, Segura, and Mendez are accused of finding a 14-year-old male standing alone in Calle Canasta and attacking him.

Borja, Hurtado, and Sanchez, members of the rival San Clemente criminal street gang, are accused of witnessing the attack by the five men and began to chase them. Juan Arriaga, Victor Arriaga, Quezada, Segura, and Mendez are accused of attempting to flee the scene and got into their car to drive away. Borja, Hurtado, and Sanchez, are accused of hurling objects at the rapidly moving car, including a lawn chair and a large concrete block. The concrete block smashed the front windshield of the car, striking Mendez in the head.

Mendez was rendered unconscious as a result of the blunt force trauma to his head. At approximately 10:20 p.m., Juan Arriaga, Victor Arriaga, Quezada, and Segura are accused of driving Mendez to Mission Hospital, dumping him onto the ground outside of the hospital in the ambulance bay, and fleeing the scene. Jonathan M. was pronounced dead at 11:00 p.m. due to the head trauma. Juan Arriaga, Victor Arriaga, Quezada, and Segura are accused of attempting to hide the evidence of the rival gang attack by getting rid of the car they had used to dump Mendez outside of the hospital. The car was found the following day in Lake Elsinore. The windshield had been removed, blood from the passenger seat appeared to have been wiped away, and the concrete block had been wrapped in bloody towels and dumped in the planter of a nearby motel.