Watsonville Gang Members Sentenced to Prison for 2009 Murder

Two Watsonville gang members convicted of gunning down a man for a gang initiation four years ago likely will spend the rest of their lives in prison, the District Attorney's Office reported.

Joel Sanchez, 33, and Jose Meza, 21, were sentenced to 50 years to life and 40 years to life, respectively, on Friday by Judge Paul Burdick. It was almost four years to the day from when they fatally shot Richard Campos, a young Watsonville man, as Campos sat in his car parked in front of his father's Roache Road home.

Sanchez and Meza were convicted of murder and other crimes for gunning down Campos the night of Sept. 15, 2009 as he sat in his red coupe talking to a girl on his cell phone. The two are members of Poorside Watsonville, a Sureño gang, authorities have said. Sureños identify with the color blue; their rivals are Noreteños, who claim the color red.

Campos was not a gang member, police have said.

The shooting was Meza's initiation into the gang, witnesses testified at the trial.

"This was a vicious senseless attack which caused a man his life," said Assistant District Attorney Rob Wade, who prosecuted the cases. "This prosecution guaranteed that two of the individuals who are responsible will never commit a similar act again."

A third man, Angel Torres, was accused of similar crimes but his trial resulted in a hung jury. He is scheduled to be retried on Oct. 21.