Victor Sanchez, 25, of Earlimart was sentenced today to seven years in state prison for crimes he committed on March 11, 2006. The incident started when Det. Mark Wallace and Sgt. John Gonzalez responded to a call for assistance. Sanchez was contacted by Sgt. Gonzalez as part of the investigation and upon contact displayed symptoms of intoxication and was placed under arrest for public intoxication. Sanchez was searched and suspected contraband was located. Sanchez struggled when Sgt. Gonzalez was handcuffing him and was able to jerk away. At that point, he rammed Det. Wallace who was assisting Sgt. Gonzalez. Sanchez also struck Det. Wallace and Sgt. Gonzalez. Det. Wallace placed Sanchez in a control hold that Sanchez was able to break and in doing so, forced Det. Wallace’s arm up and away from his body, resulting in a serious tear to Det. Wallace’s pectoral muscle.

Sanchez was convicted by a jury on five counts. Battery on a peace officer causing injury in violation of Penal Code section 243(c)(2), along with a special allegation of great bodily injury pursuant to Penal Code section of 12022.7(a). Additional counts included, battery on a peace officer in violation of Penal Code section 243(b), two counts of resisting, obstructing or delaying a peace officer in violation of Penal Code section 148(a)(1), and providing false information to a peace officer in violation of Penal Code section 148.9. The Court also found true special allegation of having suffered a prior prison conviction pursuant to Penal Code section 667.5(b).

The Honorable Judge Couillard presided over Victor Sanchez’s trial and today sentenced him to the maximum sentence of seven years in prison. Sanchez was ordered to pay a restitution fine of $600.00. In addition he will be required to provide samples of his blood, saliva, and palm prints pursuant to Penal Code section 296. The battery on a peace officer with the special allegation of great bodily injury constitutes a “strike” under California law, and in the future, if Sanchez commits other felonies, he could be prosecuted as a “three striker. Additionally, due to the violent nature of the charges, Sanchez will be required to serve eighty-five percent of the seven years before he is eligible of parole.

This case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Michelle Wallis of the Tulare County District Attorney’s Office and investigated by the Sgt. John Gonzalez of the Tulare County Sheriff’s Department.

Contact Person:
Carol Turner, Assistant District Attorney 733-6411