Teenage gunman receives 40 to life

 

Salinas teenager was sentenced Thursday to 40 years to life in prison for the 2008 attempted murders of two students outside Alisal High School. Judge Adrienne Grover opted not to give Jorge Sanchez, 19, the maximum 80-to-life sentence because he was 16 years old at the time of the Feb. 18, 2008, attack. In June, a jury convicted Sanchez after his co-defendant testified the pair were driving near the school about noon when they spotted two boys, ages 14 and 15, whom they believed to be rival gang members. Sanchez, who was the passenger, said, "Let's go smoke them," said prosecutor David Rabow. Sanchez opened fire. One boy was shot in the shoulder and hand. The other boy was shot in the ankle. Rabow said the boys were associated with the Sureño street gang but were not active members. The jury convicted Sanchez of two counts of attempted murder, assault with a semiautomatic weapon and being an active participant in the Norteño criminal street gang. The accomplice confessed and was placed on probation in return for his testimony.