Royal man gets six years for gang-related convictions
Local Crime News
ROYAL CITY - A Royal City man will serve more than six years in prison for a string of gang-related crimes.
Two Grant County juries found Salvador Garcia Sanchez, 20, guilty of intimidating a witness, harassment, second-degree assault, riot while armed, fourth-degree assault, riot and bail jumping, according to court records.
Garcia Sanchez has prior convictions for second-degree burglary, first-degree burglary, first-degree attempted kidnapping, unlawful possession of a firearm in the first degree and custodial assault, according to court records. The highest sentencing range Garcia Sanchez faced was 55 to 69 months, or four years and seven months to five years and nine months in prison.
"In addition, the jury made a specific fact finding that these crimes were gang crimes," prosecuting attorney Angus Lee said. "This finding by the jury authorized the imposition of a sentence beyond the standard range. Based on the gravity of these crimes, the needs of the community to address the gang issue, and Garcia Sanchez' prior convictions ... we requested a sentence of 218 months in prison."
Grant County Superior Court Judge Evan Sperline disagreed, sentencing Garcia Sanchez to 79 months in prison, above the highest sentencing range, but below the prosecutor's request.
Garcia Sanchez was involved in three incidents in the Royal City area. The first started after Jose L. Neives shot at a Soap Lake police officer. Garcia Sanchez was reportedly in the back seat at the time of the shooting, according to the prosecutor's office. The driver of the car told police about the shooting, and helped convict Neives.
Garcia Sanchez was walking on a Royal City street about a month and a half after the Soap Lake area shooting, when the witness and another man started to drive past him, according to court records. Garcia Sanchez stepped in front of the victim's car, stopping them, and approached the passenger's side of the car.
He grabbed the handle and began pulling on it, according to the prosecutor's office. When the door didn't open, Garcia Sanchez began pounding on the window, threatening to kill the victim.
The second incident occurred about a month later, when a rival gang member was stepping out of his car in front of a relative's house. Garcia Sanchez approached the man and attacked him. After Garcia Sanchez started the attack, the victim's son and relatives came out and defended him.
The third incident involved the same victim in May of 2011. Garcia Sanchez and three other gang members attacked the man in his vehicle in Royal City.
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