Life In Prison For Beaumont Gang Member Convicted Of Murder

BANNING, CA — A Beaumont gang member was sentenced last week to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the 2018 murder of a 22-year-old man.

Alyais Lavante Jahneal Harper, 25, was sentenced Friday by Judge Matthew Perantoni to 130 years to life plus life in prison without the possibility of parole.

The sentencing at the Hall of Justice in Banning followed statements from the family of the victim, Trejean Malik Williams Cullors.

On June 22, a jury convicted Harper of one count of first-degree murder and three counts of attempted murder. Jurors also found the special circumstances of being a gang member to be true, as well as firearms and gang activity sentencing enhancements.

The murder occurred early on Oct. 15, 2018. Harper and two other gang members met up with Cullors and three of his friends near Fifth Street and Beaumont Avenue in Beaumont, prosecutors said.

The two groups had a history of bad blood and, after exchanging words, Harper pulled out a gun and shot Cullors three times. Harper then turned and fired at Cullors' friends, who ran into a nearby fast-food restaurant to take cover — all three escaped injury, according to prosecutors.

Cullors was rushed to a hospital but died from his injuries.

Two days after the slaying, members of the Riverside County Gang Impact Team tracked Harper to the San Diego County beach city of Carlsbad and arrested him, prosecutors said.

According to Riverside County court records, Harper was convicted in August of 2017 of being an accessory to a crime for which he served 30 days in county jail and was granted a 36-month probation.