The first murder case that went to trial as a result of “Operation Sunny Day,” an investigation into a string of crimes involving East Palo Alto gangs, concluded on Friday when four defendants struck plea deals with prosecutors.
On Friday, Raymond Louis Bradford, 31, Roberto Gabriel Bustos-Montes, 27, and Eric Valencia Vargas, 23, admitted to a 2012 fatal drive-by shooting in San Francisco. Charges in the case were dropped against Emmanuel Imani Hyland, 28, who was believed to be the driver in the shooting, although Hyland is connected with other murders, San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe said.
The victim, Stoney Gipson, was a rival gang member who the defendants believed was responsible for fatally shooting one of the defendants’ family members and was gunned down after he stepped out of an entertainment venue, Wagstaffe said.
These people “who are extraordinarily dangerous were willing to shoot in broad daylight or at night at innocent citizens on the streets,” Wagstaffe said.
“We’ve guaranteed these four people, if they ever get out, will be old enough that they will hopefully be of no danger to anybody,” he said.
Jury selection was supposed to begin in the trial, but on Thursday their defense attorneys approached the District Attorney’s Office indicating they’d like to resolve the case, which Superior Court Judge Lisa Novak had encouraged. On Friday at the Hall of Justice in Redwood City, the defendants entered either guilty or no contest pleas to all charges that stemmed from the operation. Gipson’s family was present at the hearing but chose not to speak before the court.
The four defendants were indicted in 2014 as part of “Operation Sunny Day,” an 18-month investigation into multiple murders, attempted murders and a string of other offenses by 16 members of three East Palo Alto gangs. The defendants used the phrase “Sunny Day” to indicate they had successfully carried out a murder. The investigation proved to be the largest in San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office history.
Prosecutors didn’t pursue the death penalty against the four men, but the defendants were eligible for life in prison without the possibility of parole prior to their plea entries, Wagstaffe said.
Bradford, who would have faced two additional trials, pleaded guilty to the first-degree murders of Gipson and also Jonathan Alcazar in East Palo Alto in 2013, two counts of attempted murder and conspiracy to murder, all attached with gang enhancements. The judge sentenced him to 80 years to life in prison, and he was sent to San Quentin State Prison, the district attorney said.
Bradford was also convicted last summer of attempted robbery for the benefit of a gang and was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison. Last year’s punishment was incorporated into the 80 years he received on Friday, Wagstaffe said.
The other three defendants pleaded no contest to a variety of charges, all with gang enhancements, and will be sentenced before Novak on April 20.
Bustos-Montes had been charged with first-degree murder of Gipson as well as of Lamont Coleman, in addition to the attempted murder of another person.
Vargas also pleaded no contest to Gipson’s murder, along with attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder, reckless discharge of a firearm and resisting arrest by an officer with violence. Vargas and Bustos-Montes each face 60 years to life in prison, according to the district attorney.
Hyland faces 25 years to life in prison for two counts of first-degree murder for Alcazar and Coleman, Wagstaffe said.
“Their removal from East Palo Alto makes that city remarkably safer,” the district attorney said.
Good to see Law enforcement and the Courts doing their jobs to clean up the city of these community terrorists.
Why did Hyland get only 25 + years for two first degree murders?
I’m glad they are off the streets and it worked out well that they took the charges. But, mostly it just makes me sad. Sad for how their lives turned out and how they ended their victim’s lives. That one guy is 23 years old! Somebody’s son. What a waste.