Sureno Gang Member Sentenced For Sand City Beach Killing

SALINAS - A Seaside man was sentenced Tuesday to 50 years to life in prison for killing a teenager with a sawed-off shotgun at close range in Sand City in 2012, Monterey County prosecutors said.

Monterey County Superior Court Judge Carrie Panetta sentenced Alejandro Delgado, 25, for the killing of 17-year-old Antonio Garcia for the benefit of the Sureno criminal street gang.

On Oct. 20, 2012, students from Seaside and Central Coast high schools and others were having a beach party in Sand City, prosecutors said. A few of the people at the party were Norteno gang members or associates, according to prosecutors.

About 11 p.m., Garcia left the party on his way to a parking lot. He walked to a recreational trail, which took him under a highway underpass where Delgado was chasing someone with the sawed-off shotgun.

Garcia was drunk, listening to music with headphones on and was unaware of the situation, prosecutors said.

The man Delgado was chasing escaped him by running in a zigzag pattern, so Delgado turned his attention to Garcia, prosecutors said.

Garcia became aware of Delgado and the gun and turned and ran. However, Delgado caught up with him and shot Garcia in the back at close range, prosecutors said.

Two and a half hours later, Garcia was pronounced dead.

Delgado was convicted in March. Prosecutors said evidence from the trial showed Delgado took the shotgun to the beach party intending to shoot a Norteno gang member.

-Bay City News, image via ShutterStock