Gang banger to be arraigned for murdering a 14-year old rival gang member

Orange County District Attorney, Press Release
For Immediate Release, Case # 13CF2054: July 11, 2013

SANTA ANA CRIMINAL STREET GANG MEMBER TO BE ARRAIGNED FOR UNPROVOKED MURDER OF 14-YEAR-OLD RIVAL GANG MEMBER

SANTA ANA – A member of a criminal street gang will be arraigned tomorrow for the unprovoked murder of a 14-year-old rival gang member. Armando Andres Carachure, 25, is charged with one felony count of special circumstances murder committed for a criminal street gang purpose and one felony count of street terrorism with sentencing enhancements for the personal use of a deadly weapon and criminal street gang activity. Carachure has two prior prison convictions for buying or receiving stolen goods in 2006 and battery in 2007. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of life in state prison without the possibility of parole. The special circumstances in this case make Carachure eligible for the death penalty, and the District Attorney will make this determination at a later date. He is being held without bail and is scheduled for a continued arraignment tomorrow, July 12, 2013, at 10:30 a.m. in Department CJ-1, Central Jail, Santa Ana.

Co-defendants Fernando Cuevas, 27, and Luis Francisco Gaytan, 19, are charged with one felony count of accessory after the fact and one felony count of street terrorism, with a sentencing enhancement for criminal street gang activity. Cuevas has two prior strike convictions for possession of cocaine with intent to sell for the benefit of a street gang and street terrorism. If Cuevas is convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 30 years to life in state prison and is being held on $1 million bail. If Gaytan is convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of seven years in state prison and is being held on $1 million bail and is subject to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement hold. They are expected to be arraigned with Carrachure.

Carachure, Cuevas, and Gaytan are accused of being members of a criminal street gang in Santa Ana.

At approximately 7:20 p.m. on June 21, 2013, Carachure, along with a fellow 12-year-old criminal gang member, is accused of approaching 14-year-old Fidel Armando Guajardo in Jerome Park in Santa Ana. The victim was on his bike and did not provoke the defendant. Carachure is accused of asking the victim his gang affiliation before assaulting Guajardo and chasing him to Townsend Street upon discovering that the victim was part of a rival criminal street gang. When the defendant caught up with the victim, Carachure is accused of pushing Guajardo against a vehicle, stabbing him repeatedly in the back, and fleeing the scene. The victim collapsed and was transported to UCI Medical Center, where he succumbed to the stab wounds and died later that evening.

Immediately after the murder, Carachure is accused of going to Gaytan’s house. Gaytan is accused of aiding Carachure by supplying him with a mobile phone to call for a ride to flee the area, while Carachure cleaned the blood off himself and changed into clean clothes. Carachure is accused of calling Cuevas, who is accused of arriving to Gaytan’s house shortly thereafter and giving Carachure and Gaytan a ride.

Deputy District Attorney Janine Madera of the Gang Unit is prosecuting this case.

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Tony Rackauckas, District Attorney
401 Civic Center Drive West
Santa Ana, CA 92701

Contacts:

Susan Kang Schroeder
Chief of Staff
Office: 714-347-8408
Cell: 714-292-2718

Farrah Emami
Spokesperson
Office: 714-347-8405
Cell: 714-323-4486