Oxnard Gang Member Sentenced For Shotgun Slaying Of Innocent Man

Thursday September 12, 2024

      Updated--An Oxnard gang member has been sentenced  for the cold-blooded murder of a man who had nothing to do with gangs.

     The judge sentenced 24-year-old Michael Ortega of Oxnard Thursday to almost 65-years-to-life-in-prison for the December 5, 2022 shotgun slaying of 20-year John Paul Carrillo of Oxnard.

     They also found true that it was gang-related.

     The authorities say that Ortega is a gang member.

     Prosecutors say Carrillo was not.

     He just happened to be in the carport of his apartment complex on Gonzales Road in Oxnard when Ortega, looking for people to kill, drove up with two other gang members.

     The murder was captured on surveillance video.

     Meanwhile, the jury returned mixed verdicts, or no verdicts at all, regarding Ortega's other crimes committed during what the authorities described as a three-day crime spree.

     On two counts of assault with a firearm the jury said they were hopelessly deadlocked 5-guilty and 7-not guilty.

     The judge declared a mistrial on those two counts and only those two counts.

     On a third count of assault with a firearm the jury found Ortega not guilty.

     The jury did convict Ortega on virtually all of the other firearms and drug related charges against him.

     Carrillo's family and friends gave victim impact statements at Ortega's sentencing.

     The man who drove the vehicle during the crime spree had earlier pleaded guilty to a lesser charge and was sentenced to ten years in prison.