Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: 10/13/04

Contact person(s):

Media Coordinator, Donna Edwards - 565-3099 Media Spokesperson, Chief Deputy Larry Scoufos Deputy District Attorney: Diana Gomez

Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, California

Six Gang Members Plead To Role In Stabbing

This afternoon Luis Santana, Anthony Hernandez, Jose Gomez, Mauricio Cuevas and Alfredo Delgado entered pleas of no contest to attempted murder charges. They also admitted personally causing great bodily injury to victims and committing the crime to benefit a criminal street gang. The charges stem from the August 25, 2002, stabbing of William Rodriguez and Grame Kanongataa on Hearn Avenue in the City of Santa Rosa. In December 2003, the grand jury indicted 14 gang members as a result of the attacks.

In addition to attempted murder pleas, Hernandez, Gomez, Cuevas, and Delgado entered pleas of no contest to assault with a deadly weapon and admitted personally causing great bodily injury and committing the crime to benefit a criminal street gang. Santana also entered a plea of no contest to intimidating a witness in the case. All of these defendants are facing a maximum of 26 years in state prison. Martin Mesa entered a plea of no contest to assault with a deadly weapon, admitted that he personally caused great bodily injury to the victim and committed the crime to benefit a criminal street gang. He is facing a maximum of 17 years in state prison. Gomez and Mesa are scheduled to be sentenced on November 15th, Santana and Hernandez on November 16th and Cuevas and Delgado on November 17th.

Three other gang members, Efrain Gonzalez, Cesar Ramirez, and Segio Zarate, entered pleas on September 23rd and were found guilty of two counts of attempted murder, four counts of assault with a deadly weapon and personally causing great bodily injury to both victims, committing the crime while active participants in a criminal street gang and for the purpose of benefitting a criminal street gang. They are scheduled to be sentenced October 20th. Charges are still pending against one defendant. Arrest warrants are outstanding for two other gang members, Ben Moreno and Jesus Flores.

Deputy District Attorney Diana Gomez is the assigned trial prosecutor. Detective Joe Heath of the Santa Rosa Police Department, District Attorney Investigator John Kilass, and District Attorney Legal Assistant Dava Kohlman assisted in the prosecution.