| For Immediate Release Case # 07CF4182 March 23, 2012 |
Susan Kang Schroeder Chief of Staff Office: 714-347-8408 Cell: 714-292-2718Farrah Emami Spokesperson Office: 714-347-8405 Cell: 714-323-4486
|
GANG MEMBER SENTENCED TO LIFE IN PRISON WITHOUT PAROLE PLUS AN ADDITIONAL 70 TO LIFE FOR DRIVE-BY SHOOTING-MURDER OF INNOCENT TEEN MISTAKEN AS RIVAL
SANTA ANA – A gang member was sentenced today to life in state prison without the possibility of parole, plus an additional 70 years to life in state prison, for the drive-by shooting-murder of an innocent teen mistaken to be a rival in retaliation for a gang shooting two weeks earlier. Guillermo Brambila, 25, Santa Ana, was found guilty by a jury Jan. 24, 2012, of one felony count each of conspiracy to commit murder, murder, attempted murder, active participation in a criminal street gang while carrying a loaded firearm in public, three felony counts of street terrorism, and sentencing enhancements for criminal street gang activity, the vicarious discharge of a firearm by a gang member, the vicarious discharge of a firearm by a gang member causing death, and murder committed for a criminal street gang purpose.
At approximately 8:30 p.m. on Nov. 27, 2007, Brambila and fellow criminal street gang member Jonathon Andrew-Marquez Dizon, 20, were standing on Bradford Street in Santa Ana. The defendant was carrying a loaded firearm. While standing outside, Brambila observed a black car drive into the neighborhood, which he believed was occupied by rival gang members.
The defendant gave his firearm to Dizon and told Dizon to shoot at the car. Dizon approached the vehicle, briefly exchanged words with the occupants, and then fired at the car. The occupants of the car shot back at Dizon, hitting him multiple times, and then drove away. Brambila ran up to his friend, took the firearm from his hand, and then fled the scene and abandoned Dizon bleeding and dying in the street. The victim was transported to the hospital and was pronounced dead approximately an hour later.
On the night of Dec. 11, 2007, Brambila and fellow gang members drove into a rival gang neighborhood looking for someone to shoot and murder in retaliation for the murder of Dizon. The defendant was the driver. At approximately 9:30 p.m., the defendant spotted 15-year-old Eric Guerrero walking down the street. The victim was not a gang member but the defendant wrongly believed him to be a rival.
From their vehicle, Brambila or one of his fellow gang members murdered the victim by shooting him in the chest and then fled the scene. Guerrero was transported to the hospital and was pronounced dead.
On Dec. 13, 2007, officers from the Santa Ana Police Department (SAPD) attempted to stop a vehicle, in which Brambila was a passenger. Brambila ultimately got out of the car and ran away on foot, tossed a firearm behind a hotel, and climbed over a fence to escape. An SAPD officer observed the defendant toss the firearm and recovered it. Subsequent ballistics testing linked the firearm to the murder of Guerrero.