(Woodland, CA) – August 17, 2022 – On August 15, 2022, Woodland men Francisco Ponce, age 23, and Joseph Gonzalez Jr., age 27, were sentenced for their roles in the shooting that killed Alvaro Gamera and left two others injured in the City of Woodland on October 21, 2019.
Ponce, Gonzalez and two other men, all of whom were suspected gang members, were in a vehicle driving on North Street in the City of Woodland. Alvaro Gamara and two other men, all of whom were suspected rival gang members, were walking along North Street. Gonzalez stopped the car, Ponce stepped out, and then Ponce fired on the pedestrians, killing Gamera and wounding the two other men.
Detectives with the Woodland Police Department worked tirelessly to investigate the case and after they were able to uncover sufficient evidence, Ponce and Gonzalez were arrested in April of 2021. The case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Frits van der Hoek and on March 22, 2022, a Yolo County Grand Jury indicted Ponce and Gonzalez for the killing. The gun used was never recovered.
On May 10, 2022, Ponce and Gonzalez each pled no contest to manslaughter and to one count of attempted homicide. Ponce also admitted to having personally used a firearm. On August 15, 2022, Yolo County Superior Court Judge David Rosenberg sentenced Ponce to 21 years in prison. Gonzalez, who was being sentenced for an unrelated assault case also, was sentenced to 29 years in prison. He also had a prior “strike” conviction.
District Attorney Jeff Reisig commented. “These are difficult cases. This shooting unfolded in a matter of seconds with no witnesses who could identify the attackers. We are thankful for the dedication of the Woodland Police Department, who never stopped investigating this case. We will continue to pursue justice with these violent gang cases in an effort to keep our community safe.”
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