On Thursday February 8, 2007, Ruben Valdez age 26 of Tulare was sentenced for the gang related attempted murder of a man the defendant suspected to be a rival gang member. The defendant was also sentenced for two other unrelated charges of possessing a firearm and resisting officers by threats or force, both with gang enhancements. After denying the defendant’s motion for new trial, the Court sentenced him to 40 years to life in prison plus a consecutive six years eight months following guilty verdicts rendered by a jury on December 15, 2006.

During their earlier contacts, the defendant had confronted the victim because the defendant thought that the victim was a rival gang member. The victim assured him that he had absolutely no gang affiliation and thought that the issue had been resolved. On June 17, 2005, the victim agreed to give the defendant a ride.

The victim waited for him in the car, when the defendant walked up to the passenger side and opened the front door. The defendant leaned in and then said something to the affect of I have something for you. The defendant then pulled a handgun from his waistband and opened fire at point blank range on the unarmed victim. The defendant fired three rounds, two striking the victim in the head and the other entered into his right shoulder.

Despite his life threatening injuries, the victim managed to drive away from the house. Shortly thereafter a car following him crashed into his car and catapulted the victim’s vehicle into the side of the Super 7 Market in Tulare. Then, four unknown individuals from that car got out, pushed the victim over in his car and started taking things from the victim’s car. Those people then got back into their car and fled the scene. Miraculously medical personnel were able to save the victim’s life. The defendant was arrested on July 11, 2005, where an officer located a loaded handgun in his waistband. Then, on August 8, 2005 while officers were photographing the defendant’s gang tattoos, he resisted and made several threatening statements to them.

This case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Samantha Arnerich with assistance by Sergeant Brian Haney and Detective Ed Hinojosa from the Tulare Police Department along with Investigators Gil Cardenas, Florencio Camarillo and Ken Smythe of the District Attorney’s Office. Contact person: Don Gallian, Assistant District Attorney 733-6411.