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It was an emotional afternoon in the courthouse yesterday, when family of the boy who was shot to death and family of the boy who was found guilty of the killing, took turns speaking to a judge before sentencing.
Samuel Ortega Ricardez was 16 years old when he reportedly killed another teenager with a single shotgun blast in March 2012. Ricardez was tried as an adult, and a jury declared him guilty of murder and robbery and found true the gang allegations, on May 2, 2013.
According to the prosecutor, Ricardez was with the Varrio Posole Locos gang when they invaded rival gang territory of Center Street Locos, located just on the other side of the freeway. Both gangs claim different streets in Oceanside, California, according to evidence presented during trial.
Prosecutor Geoff Allard suggested that gangsters in the neighborhood became aware of the invading group and shot at them; it was when Ricardez was running away that he came face-to-face with a local teenager who recognized him, and Ricardez raised up the long gun he was carrying and shot the other teen in the belly.
Antonio Carachuri Perez, 17, died of a single shotgun blast to his abdomen, according to the San Diego County Medical Examiner.
The mother of the boy who was killed wept before the judge, saying “I am ready for justice for my son.” The mother of the boy about to be sentenced stated, “I am one hundred percent certain he is not guilty.” Both women, and other family members who spoke in San Diego’s North County Superior Courthouse yesterday, had benefit of court-provided, Spanish-speaking interpreters for the occasion.
The same judge who heard the trial, Honorable Kimberlee Lagotta, sentenced Ricardez to 75-years-to-Life in prison, on August 12, 2013.
A clerk with the probation department said Ricardez has credit for 515 days in custody, so far.
It was an emotional afternoon in the courthouse yesterday, when family of the boy who was shot to death and family of the boy who was found guilty of the killing, took turns speaking to a judge before sentencing.
Samuel Ortega Ricardez was 16 years old when he reportedly killed another teenager with a single shotgun blast in March 2012. Ricardez was tried as an adult, and a jury declared him guilty of murder and robbery and found true the gang allegations, on May 2, 2013.
According to the prosecutor, Ricardez was with the Varrio Posole Locos gang when they invaded rival gang territory of Center Street Locos, located just on the other side of the freeway. Both gangs claim different streets in Oceanside, California, according to evidence presented during trial.
Prosecutor Geoff Allard suggested that gangsters in the neighborhood became aware of the invading group and shot at them; it was when Ricardez was running away that he came face-to-face with a local teenager who recognized him, and Ricardez raised up the long gun he was carrying and shot the other teen in the belly.
Antonio Carachuri Perez, 17, died of a single shotgun blast to his abdomen, according to the San Diego County Medical Examiner.
The mother of the boy who was killed wept before the judge, saying “I am ready for justice for my son.” The mother of the boy about to be sentenced stated, “I am one hundred percent certain he is not guilty.” Both women, and other family members who spoke in San Diego’s North County Superior Courthouse yesterday, had benefit of court-provided, Spanish-speaking interpreters for the occasion.
The same judge who heard the trial, Honorable Kimberlee Lagotta, sentenced Ricardez to 75-years-to-Life in prison, on August 12, 2013.
A clerk with the probation department said Ricardez has credit for 515 days in custody, so far.