Sacto 9-1-1

From Niesha Lofing:

Two Woodland gang members who tried to kill a man over drug money last year were sentenced to life in prison Thursday.

Lorenzo Alberto Godoy, 22, and Rudy Sanchez Gonzales, 48, were convicted of trying to murder Raul Ramos at his Woodland apartment on Jan. 5, 2007, according to a news release by the office of Yolo County District Attorney Jeff W. Reisig.

Godoy and Ramos had been doing business together and owed drug money to someone in Anaheim, according to the release. Godoy and Gonzales went to Ramos' home that night to try and collect Ramos' portion of the debt. They were armed with a .25 caliber pistol and a knife, respectively.

Ramos, another man and the man's girlfriend were at the apartment during the confrontation. The man was smoking a cigarette on the back patio when Godoy and Gonzales forced him back into the apartment at gunpoint, the release states.

Once inside, Godoy demanded Ramos give him the money for the drug debt, while Gonzales wielded a knife to keep everyone at bay. When Ramos refused to give Godoy the money, Gonzales signaled Godoy, who shot Ramos six times, nearly killing him, the release states.

Witnesses told police they saw five to six men outside the apartment acting as lookouts just before the shooting. They also said they were threatened by the men to not talk to police, the release states.

Two days later, authorities served search warrants at Godoy and Gonzales' apartments and found ammunition and the gun that was used to shoot Ramos. Large amounts of gang paraphernalia and gang graffiti also were found in both homes, according to the release.

Godoy and Gonzales were arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, robbery, burglary and false imprisonment.

The charges also carried gang enhancements. Godoy is a validated Sureno and Gonzales is a former member of the Mexican Mafia prison gang, the release states.

While they were in jail, Gonzales and Godoy, as well as other inmates, exchanged jail house letters outlining a plan to hurt and kill witnesses who were going to testify against the two men. The confiscated letters also outlined a fabricated defense that the two men worked on in order to deceive a jury if the case got to trial, the release states.

A jury convicted both men of attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon and false imprisonment.

Godoy was sentenced to 59 years and four months to life in prison. Gonzales, who had two "strikes" prior to the shooting, was sentenced to 146 years to life under the state's Three Strikes law, the release states.

"Gang cases are difficult to prosecute because of the fear and intimidation that gang members instill in the community and among witnesses of a crime," Deputy District Attorney Deanna Hays stated in a news release.