13-year prison sentence handed down to man involved in Santa Ana gang's murder of innocent bystander – Orange County Register

SANTA ANA — A 27-year-old man was sentenced Wednesday to 13 years in prison for his role in the fatal gang-related shooting of a 36-year-old innocent bystander who was going to buy food for his family's dinner in Santa Ana .

Felix Martinez Vargas of Santa Ana pleaded guilty in September 2022 to voluntary manslaughter in the Dec. 1, 2017, killing of Mariano Labra Ramos, 36, of Santa Ana. Vargas has been in detention since December 2, 2017.

As part of his plea deal, a murder charge was dismissed as well as a sentencing enhancement for vicarious shooting of a firearm by a gang member causing great bodily injury.

Co-defendant Alexis Ascencion, 25, of Santa Ana, was sentenced in April to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the murder. Ascencion was convicted Feb. 15 of first-degree murder and engaging in gang activity, with special circumstances of gang activity and sentencing enhancements for discharging a firearm causing death.

Vargas testified at Ascencion's trials in July 2022 and this year. A mistrial was declared in the first trial when jurors deadlocked 11-1 in favor of guilt.

Orange County Superior Court Judge Richard King added 25 years to life in prison to Ascencion's sentence of life without parole.

“It was revenge,” King said of the attack.

The judge said Ascencion went to a rival gang's territory and selected a victim at random.

“He chose someone who had no prior association (with the gang),” King said. “He shot him intentionally and that person died.”

“There was just no justification” for the killing, King said, adding that it was “an aggravated case.”

The judge said the shooting took place “to show the strength of his gang” and was a “senseless act of violence”.

Ramos “was going to get salt to make dinner for his wife, who was blind,” King said.

The couple had a “healthy marriage” and he was the main financial support, the judge said.

The defendants — including two boys ages 15 and 16 — drove into a rival gang's territory when they saw two men outside an apartment complex between 1913 and 1909 W. Myrtle St., according to a brief trial of prosecutors in the Ascencion case. Ascencion asked Vargas, the driver, to stop before Ascencion jumped out and opened fire on the victim, wounding him in the leg with two shots, prosecutors said.

A main artery was hit and Ramos, who had no gang ties, bled to death, prosecutors said.

Ascencion ran toward the car and they fled the area, prosecutors said.

Police located the vehicle involved in the shooting shortly before 9 p.m. that evening and arrested the driver.