San Gabriel man sentenced for fatal Arcadia stabbing

PASADENA – A judge sentenced a San Gabriel man to prison Tuesday after he admitted fatally stabbing an 18-year-old Pomona man during a fight outside an Arcadia strip mall in 2011, authorities said.
At what was scheduled to be a pre-trial hearing Tuesday in Pasadena Superior Court, Juan Lorenzo, 33, of San Gabriel pleaded “no contest” to a count of voluntary manslaughter, Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office spokeswoman Jane Robison said. He also admitted the special, sentence-enhancing allegation that he personally used a knife in the crime.
The plea was entered as part of a negotiated plea agreement, Robison said. He was initially charged with murder and assault with a deadly weapon.
Immediately following the plea, “He was sentenced to 12 years in state prison,” Robison said. He received the sentence from Pasadena Superior Court Judge Dorothy Shubin.
Lorenzo was working at the Money Pot Shabu Shabu restaurant in the 1300 block of South Golden West Avenue when he became involved in an argument with Anthony Berry, who was sitting in a parked car waiting for an acquaintance who worked at another nearby resident, according to Arcadia police officials.
During the dispute, Lorenzo pulled a knife and stabbed Berry, who ran toward the businesses and collapsed, Arcadia police Lt. Tom LeVeque said at the time. Berry was taken to Huntington Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries a short time later.
Lorenzo was held without bail pending trial due to a hold placed on him by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
A second restaurant employee initially arrested in connection with the fatal fight was released without charges due to insufficient evidence, district attorney’s officials said.

Facebook Twitter Reddit Tumblr Linkedin Email