Oakland Man Sentenced In Homicide Case

OAKLAND, CA — A 26-year-old man was sentenced Monday to three years in state prison for his role in the attempted robbery and fatal shooting of another man in Oakland's Fruitvale district two years ago.

Rasenoch Allen was charged with murder for allegedly being the driver in the shooting of Kevin Hokes Jr., 22, of Oakland, in the 3300 block of International Boulevard, a few blocks from the Fruitvale BART station, at
about 3:40 a.m. on March 17, 2016.

But on March 8 the Alameda County District Attorney's Office agreed to allow Allen to plead no contest to the lesser charge of being an accessory after the fact in the shooting.

Allen was sentenced by Alameda County Superior Court Judge James Cramer.

Justin Lewis, 24, of San Leandro, was also charged with murder as well as the special circumstance of committing a murder during the course of a robbery for allegedly being the person who fatally shot Hokes.

Oakland police Officer Michael Valle wrote in a probable cause statement that after Lewis was arrested on March 21, 2016, he "provided a full confession to the attempted robbery and shooting."

However, on March 12 of this year, the District Attorney's Office agreed to allow Lewis to plead no contest to the lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter as well as to attempted robbery.

Lewis' plea bargain calls for him to get 21 years in state prison when he's sentenced by Judge Cramer on Tuesday.

Hokes was standing on the sidewalk at 33rd Avenue and International Boulevard when he was approached by a man, later identified as Lewis, who tried to rob him of his money, Valle wrote.

A struggle ensued and Hokes was struck in his stomach by a single gunshot, according to Valle.

Lewis dropped his gun at the scene and fled in a white Ford Escape, Valle wrote.

Hokes was transported to Highland Hospital in Oakland, where he was later pronounced dead.

Police said witnesses helped them identify Lewis as the suspect who carried out the shooting.

— Bay City News; Image via Shutterstock