Utah man sentenced in gang-related fatal shooting

A 29-year-old man has been sentenced to prison for up to life for his part in the death of a rival gang member during a 2013 drive-by shooting in West Valley City.

Ricardo Antonio Padilla was one of six men arrested and charged with murder, obstruction of justice and weapons counts in connection with the death of 18-year-old Anthony Hernandez on July 27, 2013.

Padilla was convicted by a 3rd District Court jury in January of gang-enhanced first-degree felony counts of felony discharge of a firearm and obstructing justice.

During sentencing last week, Padilla was sentenced to 10 years to life on the firearm count and five years to life for the obstructing count. Judge James Blanch ordered the two terms to run concurrently.

Earlier this year, 21-year-old Armando Jose Majano, was sentenced to 15 years to life after pleading guilty in October to one count of first-degree-felony murder and admitting he fired a gun multiple times at Hernandez.

Court and jail documents say Majano and the others — whom police believe knew of the plan to kill Hernandez — were riding in a pair of SUVs when they spotted Hernandez walking near 3100 South and 4300 West with friends.

The vehicle Majano was riding in stopped, and he and Hernandez exchanged words. When Hernandez approached the SUV, Majano pulled out a handgun and shot him several times, jail documents say.

During Majano's sentencing, defense attorney Scott Wilson told the judge that his client was "jumped in" to a gang just months before the fatal shooting, and said he fired the gun in a panic after Hernandez allegedly made gang signs with his hands and ran toward the car where Majano was sitting.

Wilson said Majano squeezed his eyes shut and pulled the trigger over and over until the loud bangs hurt his ears too much.

"The victim ran at the defendant," Wilson said. "It made him panic and fire that gun out of that panic."

Hernandez was struck four times by the bullets and later died.

Also charged were Alejandro Argumendo, 23; and Jose Carlos Salazar, 21; Diego Armando Monfeda, 23; and Juan Eduardo Cruz, 22.

Argumendo and Salazar are scheduled for trial in June.

Monfedo pleaded guilty in 2014 to second-degree felony obstructing justice and was sentenced to probation and given credit for having spent a year in jail.

The charges against Cruz were dismissed in February.