A Yolo County jury Monday convicted three gang members of attacks in a Lowe's parking lot in West Sacramento two years ago.
The three defendants, Jose Antonio Duran, 20, Salvador Benjamin Vasquez Jr., 20, and Joseph Vincent Sisneros, 21, all of Sacramento, are members of the Norteno street gang, according to a Yolo County District Attorney's Office news release. Following a two-week trial, all three were convicted of robbery, battery, assault, witness intimidation and street gang activity for their attacks on three people April 19, 2010.
Authorities said the initial victim was eating a meal from a fast-food restaurant in his car in a nearly empty parking lot about 10 p.m. The three men took his iPod, wallet and keys, then beat him, causing two facial fractures, while the victim pleaded for them to stop.
Four Lowe's employees who walked into the lot after their shift interrupted the attack. The employees, all of whom testified at the trial, reported seeing the defendants taking turns punching the victim while shouting "Norte!" and laughing, according to the news release.
Vasquez pretended to hold a gun under his shirt and repeatedly threatened to shoot a Lowe's employee who was calling 911. The employee escaped by running to nearby Lake Washington Boulevard, but a second employee was caught by Duran and Sisneros. Although the second employee held up his hands in surrender, the two defendants attacked him, kicking him in the eye and breaking his nose, officials said.
Duran, Vasquez and Sisneros are to be sentenced April 13 by Yolo County Superior Court Judge Stephen Mock.
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