3 sentenced in NLV gang initiation beating death

By Jeff Pope

Monday, Aug. 24, 2009 | 1:31 p.m.

Looking to become a member of the Vicky’s Town gang, Armando Castro allowed current gang members to punch and kick him for 13 seconds as an initiation rite called a “jump in.”

One of those kicks landed on Castro’s head, causing him to lose consciousness and ultimately led to his death.

The act was recorded and uploaded to YouTube. The video was pulled by the same poster after gang members learned the police were looking for them, Deputy District Attorney Sonia Jimenez said.

District Court Judge Jennifer Togliatti today sentenced three of the four men arrested for the beating based on plea agreements they made with prosecutors.

Regardless of Castro’s willingness to be beaten, he still died, said Jimenez when asking for the maximum sentences.

“This is something they did to one of their own,” she said. “If that’s something they’re willing to do to one of their own, then what are they willing to do to somebody who’s not a member of their own?”

Edgar Ginez, 19, received the longest prison sentence because he caused the fatal blow to the head, Jimenez said.

Ginez pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and will serve two to seven years plus a consecutive 18 months to six years because the action was gang-related.

Jacob Hoffman, 18, will serve 16 to 60 months for negligent disregard to others plus a consecutive sentence of one to five years for the gang-related enhancement.

Xavier Gonzalez, 25, filmed the initiation ceremony and received two consecutive 14 to 36 month sentences for performance of an act with negligent disregard for the safety of others with the gang enhancement.

A voice on the video said, “Ready? Set, go,” and, “He’s knocked out, fool.” That voice belonged to Gonzalez, Jimenez said.

Gang members drove Castro, 21, to his home following the beating on March 14. His sister called for an ambulance the next morning and he underwent surgery at Valley Hospital. He died on March 17 from his injuries.

Although Gonzalez didn’t take part in the beating, he set up the initiation and should have received a harsher sentence, said attorneys for the other two defendants.

“He was the oldest and he was the one who set this whole thing up so I think he should have been dealt with at least as harshly as Mr. Ginez,” said Peter J. Christiansen, who represented Ginez.

Gonzalez simply said he was sorry in court. His attorney, Cynthia Dustin, said he feels a great deal of remorse because Castro was his friend.

“He made some bad choices and he’s really seeing who his true friends are right now,” Dustin said. “I don’t think anyone intended for this kid to die. That doesn’t excuse what happened but I think to find out that you wanted your friend to be part of the gang and your friend dies, is the hardest part.”

Gonzalez already was serving a year of probation after pleading guilty in January to a charge of attempted possession of stolen goods. Ginez and Hoffman had no previous convictions.

Ginez and Hoffman also apologized in court for their roles in the beating and said they would use their time in prison to improve themselves.

Hoffman’s attorney, Liz Hatcher, said Gonzalez called her client to participate in the beating.

“It’s obvious that the co-defendant (Gonzalez) was the person who initiated this,” she said. “(Hoffman) wasn’t that active in the gang.”

Photos taken from Gonzalez’s MySpace Web page showed Ginez posing with guns and Hoffman flashing gang signs, Jimenez said.

“These are not people loosely affiliated with a gang or not,” she said. “You have to have a certain level or seniority to jump another person in.”

Hatcher said Hoffman has said he will remove his gang tattoos.

U.S. Marshals arrested the fourth man, Dwayne Romero, in Las Cruces, N.M., on June 18.

At his arraignment on Aug. 18 in District Court, Romero pleaded guilty to performance of act in negligent disregard of persons with the gang enhancement.

Romero, 25, is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 19.