P. v. Gonzalez CA3
A jury convicted defendants Justin Matthew Gonzalez and Alexis Ivan Velazquez of the murder of Ronald Antonio. Gonzalez and Velazquez, who belonged to the Varrio Bosque Norteño gang (also known as VBN), evidently mistook Antonio for a rival gang member. Gonzalez held Antonio and Velazquez stabbed him.
The jury found Gonzalez guilty of second degree murder (Pen. Code, § 187) and Velazquez guilty of first degree murder (§§ 187, 189). The jury also found Gonzalez guilty of criminal street gang activity (§ 186.22, subd. (a)) and found true the allegation that he murdered Antonio for the benefit of a criminal street gang (§ 186.22, subd. (b)(1)). In Velazquez’s case, the jury found that he personally used a dangerous or deadly weapon to kill Antonio (§ 12022, subd. (b)(1)) and committed the murder for the benefit of the gang (§ 186.22, subd. (b)(1)). Gonzalez was sentenced to 70 years to life plus 20 years for two prior convictions. Velazquez was sentenced to life without parole.
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