On Thursday September 28, 2006, criminal street gang members Ismael Mejia (eighteen years old) and Sergio Mejia (twenty years old) of Visalia were each sentenced for the gang-related attempted murder that occurred on Sunday February 12, 2006 at the Swap Meet held at the Visalia Sales Yard. The Court sentenced them each to thirty-two years to life following the guilty verdicts rendered by a jury on August 24, 2006.

On February 12th the victim (who is not affiliated with any criminal street gang) along with his cousin and three acquaintances went to the swap meet. While there, they were confronted by the defendants who believed that they were all involved in a rival gang because two of the victim’s acquaintances were wearing gang colors. A confrontation between the defendants and one of the acquaintances ensued during which gang slurs were exchanged. At one point during that confrontation defendant Sergio Mejia reached into his pocket and fired a handgun through his pocket at the ground near the acquaintance’s feet.

The victim who saw that incident occur took off running in the opposite direction from the gun fire. The defendants chased him down even though he had done nothing to warrant their wrath. As he fled for his life, the defendants passed at least one gun between them and opened fire at the victim. One bullet hit the victim in the lower back resulting in massive blood loss. As a result of the shooting, he lost seven sections of his intestines totaling nearly two feet and the bullet is still lodged next to his spine. After shooting the victims the defendants took off running into Visalia where they were ultimately apprehended by law enforcement a few miles away from the location of the shooting.

This case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Samantha Arnerich with assistance by Detectives Lupe Shade and Jon Hamlin, both from the Tulare County Sheriff’s Department along with Investigator Gil Cardenas from the Tulare County District Attorney’s Office.

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