| For Immediate Release June 27, 2011 |
Susan Kang Schroeder Chief of Staff Office: 714-347-8408 Cell: 714-292-2718 Farrah Emami |
OCDA TO OPPOSE PAROLE OF GANG MEMBER SENTENCED TO LIFE IN PRISON FOR 1997 ATTEMPTED MURDER IN DRIVE-BY SHOOTING
*Inmate joined a violent Hispanic prison gang in 2010 while incarcerated
SANTA ANA – Orange County District Attorney (OCDA) Tony Rackauckas is opposing the parole of a criminal street gang member convicted of attempting to murder a random victim in a 1997 drive-by shooting. Alfonso Gudino, 32, formerly of La Habra, is currently being held at Pelican Bay State Prison in Crescent City, CA. Gudino was convicted by a jury Sept. 22, 1998, of attempted murder with premeditation and deliberation, shooting at an occupied motor vehicle, permitting another to shoot from a motor vehicle, and committing the crime for the benefit of a criminal street gang. He was sentenced Dec. 18, 1998, to life in state prison plus three years. He is scheduled for a parole hearing tomorrow, June 28, 2011, at 8:30 a.m. at the prison before the Board of Parole Hearings, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitations.
Deputy District Attorney Troy Pino of the Gang Unit will appear at the hearing to defend public safety and advocate for justice.
Attempted Murder Case
On May 10, 1997, Gudino and two fellow gang members drove into a La Habra neighborhood armed with a loaded firearm in search of a random victim to shoot and murder. Gudino observed 19-year-old John Doe, whom he recognized from the neighborhood but did not know, in a nearby car. The inmate and his fellow gang members drove past the victim’s vehicle and attempted to murder him by firing three shots into the car. Gudino and his co-defendants then fled the scene. The bullets struck the victim’s vehicle, but John Doe was uninjured.
A witness called 911 to report the shooting and provide a vehicle description of the shooters. That same day, Gudino was pulled over by police officers while driving a vehicle matching the description of the suspect’s car. He was in possession of a loaded revolver under the backseat with expended casings in its cylinder. Gudino and the two other gang members had gunshot residue on them and were arrested. A subsequent test of a bullet fragment stuck in the victim’s car was matched to the gun found in Gudino’s vehicle.
Failure to Accept Responsibility and Lack of Remorse
Gudino had previously served time in jail for possession of a loaded firearm in public and was on probation at the time of the attempted murder. The inmate was undeterred by the prospect of state prison, and escalated his gang-related crimes to shooting at an occupied motor vehicle. The victim in this case was targeted by Gudino and his co-defendants at random, evidence of the inmate’s callous disregard for human life.
While incarcerated from 1999 to 2009, Gudino demonstrated a lack of rehabilitation by being cited for multiple prison violations including battery on an inmate, possession of a weapon, possession of alcohol, and possession of a cell phone