District Attorney Bob Lee announced that, on Friday September 20, 2013, Joel Sanchez, age, 33, and Jose Meza, age, 21, members of the Poorside Sureno gang, were sentenced by Judge Paul Burdick for the shooting murder of Richard Campos in Watsonville, on September 15, 2009.
Sanchez, the leader of the Poorside Sureno gang at the time of the murder was convicted by a trial by jury of first-degree murder, and murder for the benefit of the gang with a firearm and was sentenced to 50 years to life. Meza was also convicted of second degree murder, and murder for the benefit of the gang with a handgun, and was sentenced to 40 years to life.
Assistant District Attorney Rob Wade, who prosecuted both of the cases, stated “This was a vicious senseless attack which caused a man his life. This prosecution guaranteed that two of the individuals who are responsible will never commit a similar act again”
The trial of the third defendant, Angel Torres, resulted in a hung jury. He was retried on October 21, 2013. Updates coming.
