SANTA ANA — A 24-year-old man pleaded guilty Wednesday and was sentenced to 13 years in prison for his part in the robbing and killing of a man for his bicycle in Santa Ana five years ago.
Jose Luis Salgado pleaded guilty to a felony count of voluntary manslaughter and a misdemeanor count of street terrorism while also admitting to sentencing enhancements for being a gang member in a vicarious discharge of a gun causing great bodily injury and gang activity. Co-defendant Luis Davilasilva, 25, faces trial.
Co-defendant Jesus Gonzalo Ibarra, 27, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to a year in jail on Dec. 8, 2020, to participating in gang activity, being an accessory after the fact, being an active participant in a gang carrying a loaded gun in public and receiving stolen property, all felonies. He also admitted sentencing enhancements for gang activity.
Salgado, who turns 25 Tuesday and has been in custody since July 30, 2020, had been charged five years ago with murder with a special circumstances allegation of murder committed for the benefit of a street gang, plus robbery, participating in gang activity and being an active participant in a gang carrying a loaded gun in public.
The victim, 31-year-old Pedro Morale Chocoj of Santa Ana, was attacked July 23, 2020 at about 7:45 p.m. by multiple suspects who wanted to steal his bicycle, according to Santa Ana police.
His body wasn’t found until late the next day, when police responded to a call of a man down on a dirt path next to the Santa Ana Riverbed north of Fifth Street, police said.
Chocoj was residing in Santa Ana with his brother and was sending money back to his wife and kids in El Salvador, police said.
Santa Ana detectives tracked down the victim’s bicycle on July 27, 2020, in the 900 block of Fair Way, thanks to a tip that also led them to a suspect, police said.