Convicted Killer In Bar Shooting Receives 100 Years To Life Prison Sentence

MONTEREY COUNTY - A man convicted of murder in January for a 2014 fatal shooting outside a Greenfield bar has been sentenced to 100 years to life in prison, Monterey County prosecutors said.

Arnulfo Pineda, 37, was found guilty of gunning down 34-year-old Greenfield resident Crispin Guajardo.

Prosecutors said Pineda was one of the founding members of a criminal street gang from King City.

On Feb. 23, 2014, Pineda and two other unidentified gang members gunned down Guajardo as he stood in front of the Paradiso Night Club, prosecutors said.

A police officer happened to be in the area and on patrol when he heard several shots coming from the area of 102 El Camino Real. The officer drove to the area and saw a suspect with a gun running from the scene.

Another suspect, identified as Pineda, was also carrying a gun when he ran around a corner and dropped the gun on the sidewalk by the officer, prosecutors said. Pineda was taken into custody a short distance away.

The two other suspects believed to be involved in the shooting were never identified, prosecutors said.

Guarjardo was shot 10 times and investigators believe the shooting was in response to a series of gang-related shootings between Norteno and Sureno gang members.

Judge Julie Culver handed down the sentence, noting that Pineda was a founding member of the King City-area gang, and also denied his motion to dismiss his two prior strike offenses, prosecutors said Tuesday.

-By Bay City News Service, image via ShutterStock