Janet Morales , a 20-year-old woman, pleaded guilty and was immediately sentenced to 10 years in prison Thursday for her role in a Santa Ana carjacking and robbery in which the motorist was shot despite turning over the vehicle’s keys, according to the O.C. Register.
Morales was able to plead out of a more serious charge of attempted murder. That charge could have resulted in a life sentence. The OCDA also dropped sentencing enhancements for knowing that her accomplice, a 17-year-old boy, who was allegedly involved in the robbery, was armed with a handgun when the crime was committed.
The SAPD previously reported that on 01/19/18 at approximately 2 a.m., a female victim was sitting inside his Nissan Xterra at the 1400 block of South Shelton Street, when a black sedan parked behind him. The driver, a female adult, later identified as Morales, approached the victim and asked for a cigarette lighter.
When the victim got out of her SUV, as requested by Morales, the 17-year-old boy pointed a gun at the victim and demanded her keys, according to the SAPD. The woman handed over the keys, but the teen was accused of shooting her twice anyway.
The teen jumped into the black sedan and sped off while Morales took off in the victim’s car.
Several hours later, the Xterra was spotted by SAPD police officers at a Chevron station at 1104 S. Bristol St. Morales and the boy were then arrested.
