ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY PRESS RELEASE
Case # 12HF1198
Date: February 24, 2015
*Defendant’s girlfriend was sentenced to nine years in state prison in this case
SANTA ANA – A man was sentenced today for attempting to murder the friend of the female defendant and posting threats on the victim’s Facebook page. Fernando Sanchez, 20, Santa Ana, pleaded guilty today to one felony count each of attempted murder, assault with a semiautomatic firearm, criminal threats, and shooting at an inhabited dwelling house with a sentencing enhancement for the personal use of a firearm. Sanchez was sentenced to 20 years in state prison.
Co-defendant Jessica Gascon, 21, Santa Ana, pleaded guilty to one felony count of assault with a semiautomatic firearm and was sentenced to nine years in state prison.
At approximately 8:00 p.m. on April 10, 2012, Gascon met with 20-year-old John Doe and his friends at a fast food restaurant. The group then met near a beach in Costa Mesa and socialized before Gascon drove the victim and his friends home at approximately 10:00 p.m.
Later that evening, Gascon told her boyfriend Sanchez that John Doe made unwanted sexual advances toward her earlier that evening and the defendants conspired to drive to John Doe’s home to assault him.
At approximately 12:00 a.m., on April 11, 2012, Sanchez and Gascon drove to John Doe’s home. Gascon called the victim from her cell phone and asked John Doe to meet her outside. Once the victim exited his residence, Sanchez approached John Doe and confronted him. Sanchez brandished a gun and as the victim fled, he shot at John Doe. Sanchez shot into a neighboring residence in the 500 block of Wilson Street in Costa Mesa as he shot at the victim. John Doe was unharmed.
After receiving calls of shots fired, the Costa Mesa Police Department (CMPD) arrived at the scene to investigate. Later that day, Sanchez posted criminal threats against John Doe on Facebook.
On May 1, 2012, CMPD officers arrested both defendants at their respective homes.
Deputy District Attorney Cliff Page of the TARGET Unit prosecuted this case.
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TONY RACKAUCKAS, District Attorney
Susan Kang Schroeder, Chief of Staff
Office: 714-347-8408
Cell: 714-292-2718
