Mexican Mafia members sentenced in murder conspiracy
By Joe Nelson, Staff Writer
SAN BERNARDINO - Two brothers - both high ranking members of the Mexican Mafia - were sentenced this morning in Superior Court to a total of 19 years in prison for their roles in a murder conspiracy involving two San Manuel tribal members.
Salvador Hernandez, 43, of Bloomington, was sentenced to 10 years and his brother Alfred, 39, was sentenced to nine years.
The two were arrested in December 2006 with dozens of other suspects during a joint investigation between the Drug Enforcement Administration and the San Bernardino Police Department into the Mexican Mafia's methamphetamine rackets in the county.
SAN BERNARDINO - Two brothers - both high ranking members of the Mexican Mafia - were sentenced this morning in Superior Court to a total of 19 years in prison for their roles in a murder conspiracy involving two San Manuel tribal members.
Salvador Hernandez, 43, of Bloomington, was sentenced to 10 years and his brother Alfred, 39, was sentenced to nine years.
The two were arrested in December 2006 with dozens of other suspects during a joint investigation between the Drug Enforcement Administration and the San Bernardino Police Department into the Mexican Mafia's methamphetamine rackets in the county.
The investigation uncovered evidence that the Hernandez brothers were
working in cahoots with siblings Stacy Barajas-Nunez and Erik Barajas
and several others to kill a witness to the May 2004 shooting of San
Bernardino resident James Seay outside the Brass Key bar in Highland.
A suspect in that shooting, Robert Martinez III, is a San Manuel tribal member and known street gang affiliate. He was never charged in the case due to a lack of witness cooperation, county prosecutors said.
Seay was chased into his mother's backyard and shot to death by two unidentified assailants just weeks after receiving a settlement check for about $250,000 from Martinez stemming from a civil lawsuit Seay filed against him following the shooting.
The Hernandezes will receive credit for the time they have already served at the West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga since their arrest. Salvador Hernandez will serve about seven years in prison and his brother Alfred about 6 1/2 years.
Attorneys for the two brothers said the sentences were fair. They could have faced 25 years to life in prison if they had gone to trial and were convicted.
"We went from life to six and seven years. That's one heck of a tradeoff," said James Taylor, attorney for Alfred Hernandez.
Salvador Hernandez's attorney, Catherine Fox, added, "It's always a risk putting a defendant before a jury, so I think it's a favorable turnout."
A suspect in that shooting, Robert Martinez III, is a San Manuel tribal member and known street gang affiliate. He was never charged in the case due to a lack of witness cooperation, county prosecutors said.
Seay was chased into his mother's backyard and shot to death by two unidentified assailants just weeks after receiving a settlement check for about $250,000 from Martinez stemming from a civil lawsuit Seay filed against him following the shooting.
The Hernandezes will receive credit for the time they have already served at the West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga since their arrest. Salvador Hernandez will serve about seven years in prison and his brother Alfred about 6 1/2 years.
Attorneys for the two brothers said the sentences were fair. They could have faced 25 years to life in prison if they had gone to trial and were convicted.
"We went from life to six and seven years. That's one heck of a tradeoff," said James Taylor, attorney for Alfred Hernandez.
Salvador Hernandez's attorney, Catherine Fox, added, "It's always a risk putting a defendant before a jury, so I think it's a favorable turnout."
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