GANG MEMBER GETS 63 YEARS TO LIFE FOR MURDER

INDIO, CA - A Riverside County judge today sentenced 19-year-old Rolando Esteban Sanchez to 63 years to life in prison for the murder of Samuel Sanchez. A jury convicted Rolando Sanchez of first-degree murder with special allegations of being a gang member and using a firearm during the commission of a murder earlier this year on Feb. 26.

"We are attacking the Barrio Dream Home street gang from every angle. The gang injunction continues to limit the gang's ability to terrorize the dream home neighborhood and our prosecutors continue to send the worst of them to prison for incredible lengths of time," said Assistant District Attorney Sara Danville.

In January 2006, the body of the victim, Samuel Sanchez (no relation), was found in a remote location of Palm Springs in the trunk of his own vehicle. Investigators revealed that Rolando Sanchez and the victim had a monetary disagreement that lead to the murder. Samuel was shot three times before Rolando Sanchez stuffed him into the trunk of the victim's vehicle, drove the vehicle to the desert, and lit it on fire.

The murder remained unsolved until April 2006 when Rolando Sanchez was arrested in Cathedral City in possession of the murder weapon. Subsequently, he confessed to the murder.

Supervising Deputy District Attorney Rosalind Miller prosecuted the case. "Today, justice was served in a brutal murder case and a dangerous gang member was sent to prison for life. This is just one of many gang members that we have taken off the streets and we will continue to aggressively prosecute gang members to assure the safety of the citizens in our community," said Miller.