Javier Hernandez III (left) and Juan Jose Vasquez are detained after the stabbing on February 3, 2013
Paul Wellman (file)

Two teenage gang members are scheduled to be sentenced Friday morning for stabbing a man in broad daylight in downtown Santa Barbara last year.

Javier Hernandez III of Oxnard and Juan Jose Vasquez of Goleta — both 18 years old at the time of the stabbing and both members of Goleta’s G13 gang — are each expected to be sentenced to eight years in state prison, said prosecutor Hans Almgren. They pleaded guilty to assault with a deadly weapon with a gang enhancement, and have been in jail since the incident on February 3, 2013.

The stabbing victim is interviewed by responding officers
Paul Wellman (file)

According to police, Hernandez and Vasquez were part of a group that confronted the 31-year-old victim and his companion in Paseo Nuevo Mall at around 1 p.m. Witnesses reported seeing the suspects flashing gang signs before they followed the victim — allegedly a former gang member — and his companion onto West Carrillo Street where a fight ensued.

Multiple 9-1-1 calls were placed, and one witness reported a gang name being shouted during the altercation, during which the victim was stabbed once in the back. Soon after, police arrested Hernandez and Vasquez at the intersection of State and Carrillo streets, and the victim and his friend were located in the 900 block of Anacapa Street. The victim suffered no lasting injuries from the attack, said Almgren.

Neither Hernandez nor Vasquez had a prior criminal record, Almgren explained. Authorities were not certain what motivated the attack, he went on, but it was clear the pair were acting in furtherance of the interests of a criminal street gang.

[UPDATE]: The sentencing hearing for Hernandez and Vasquez has been postponed until November 21.

Login

Please note this login is to submit events or press releases. Use this page here to login for your Independent subscription

Not a member? Sign up here.