Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: 09/24/2009

Contact person(s):

Media Coordinator, Terry Menshek - (707) 565-3098 Media Spokesperson, Assistant District Attorney Christine Cook

Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, California

JUDGE HANDS DOWN STIFF SENTENCE IN MAXWELL PARK GANG SLAYING

Sonoma County District Attorney Stephan Passalacqua announced today that on September 21, 2009, Judge Rene Chouteau sentenced Juan Carlos Perez, 26, to 40 years to life in prison for his part in a gang murder in Maxwell Park, located in the Sonoma Valley. A jury had previously found Juan Carlos Perez guilty of second degree murder as well as finding various firearms and gang enhancements to be true.

District Attorney Passalacqua stated: “Gangs represent a clear and present danger to the health, safety and general welfare of this community. This verdict and sentence sends another clear message that gang violence within our community will not be tolerated.”

On October 22, 2007, Perez was with fellow Sureno gang members in Sonoma’s Maxwell Park, when they had a verbal altercation with a group of suspected Norteno’s. Responding to a perceived act of disrespect Perez and his friends left the park and went to a nearby residence. Once at the residence, Perez armed himself with a sawed-off shotgun. Perez, Juan Calderon (17) and two others, drove back to the park and stopped at a secluded area adjacent to Maxwell Park. Perez loaded the semiautomatic sawed-off shotgun and then showed Calderon how to use it. Calderon took the gun and proceeded on foot through a wooded area of the park until he arrived at a picnic area where large group of young people had gathered. Calderon fired three times striking 17-year-old Luis Roberto Miranda twice. Miranda died on scene as a result of gunshot wounds to his head region. Both suspects fled the area but were apprehended by the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Department within hours of the 911 call. Calderon, the co-defendant, is still awaiting jury trial. He was a minor at the time of the offense, but is being prosecuted as an adult.

The case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Robert Waner. The lead detective on the case was Violent Crimes Detective Joseph Dulworth, Sonoma County Sheriff’s Department. He was assisted by District Attorney Investigator Dave Kahl.