Prison Time for Gang Members who Attacked Peninsula Teen

By Bay City News

Two men who participated in an April 2013 attack on a teen outside of his Daly City high school pleaded no contest Thursday to charges of felony assault and gang enhancement in a San Mateo County Superior courtroom.

Michael House, 23, and Christopher Merlo, 23, will both serve prison time for kicking and punching a 17-year-old as he lay on the ground, after a third defendant had stabbed him, according to prosecutors.

Presiding Judge Leland Davis sentenced Michael House to 5 years in state prison and ordered him to pay restitution.
Judge Davis sentenced Christopher Merlo to 3 years in state prison and ordered him to pay restitution as well.

A case against a third defendant, Erik Montes, 20, who is charged with stabbing the victim, is still pending. He is next due in court on June 15, prosecutors said.

Montes faces a potential sentence of 11 years to life in prison.

All three men are Norteno gang members and are affiliated with the Fogtown Nortenos gang, according to prosecutors.

On April 15, 2013, at 1:30 p.m., prosecutors said the three defendants jumped out of a car and attacked the 17-year-old victim as he was leaving Thornton Continuation High School, located at 115 First Ave.

With several students in the area, Montes grabbed the victim and stabbed him multiple times in the neck, head, hand, torso and arm, according to prosecutors.

Once the victim fell to the ground, House and Merlo began kicking and punching the victim, prosecutors said.

The three men then ran back to their car and fled the area.The victim was able to stumble back to his school, and school staff called 911, prosecutors said.

The victim was rushed to the hospital, where he underwent emergency surgery and survived, according to prosecutors.

After a 12-hour investigation by Daly City police, police arrested Merlo and Montes at the home of a fellow gang member, prosecutors said.

House was arrested on a later date, according to prosecutors. The case for Merlo and House was continued to July 7 for a restitution hearing.

Merlo and House remain in custody on $250,000 bail, while Montes is free on $250,000 bail, prosecutors said.

Attorneys for both Merlo and House were not immediately available for comment.