Santa Ana – A third-striker and twice-convicted rapist who was on parole on GPS monitoring when he opened fire on three people following an argument outside a Santa Ana discount store has been sentenced to 100 years to life. One person was wounded in the shooting.
Johnell Jackson, 40, of Fullerton, was convicted of three felony counts of attempted murder, three felony enhancements of attempted premeditated murder, three felony enhancements of discharge of a firearm causing great bodily injury or death, and one felony count of discharging a firearm at an occupied vehicle.
Judge Walter Schwarm sentenced Jackson last week to three consecutive 25-years-to-life sentences for each of the three attempted murders along with an additional consecutive 25-years-to-life sentence for the victim who was wounded during the shooting.
On February 18, 2024, a man drove two acquaintances to the 99 Cent Store on Main St. in Santa Ana at around 10 p.m. and parked next to a white SUV.
Jackson was in the driver’s seat of the white SUV and got into a “joking-sounding argument” with the other driver, whom they believed knew Jackson from the tone of the conversation. When the driver drove away with the two other occupants inside, Jackson opened fire, shooting four to five rounds at the vehicle. The front passenger was wounded, but the other occupants of the vehicle escaped injury.
Police used Jackson’s GPS monitor to locate him at a nearby hotel, where he was found in possession of two guns and arrested.
“The violence Johnell Jackson has engaged in throughout his life is exactly why California voters supported Three Strikes to keep the state’s most violent criminals behind bars where they belong,” said Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer. “We are grateful that Judge Schwarm exercised his discretion to protect the public and these victims from continuing to be victimized by someone who knew he was being monitored by law enforcement and opened fire on a moving vehicle anyway. Orange County is safer with Johnell Jackson off our streets and behind bars.”
Deputy District Attorney Nate Barrett of TARGET/GANGS prosecuted this case.
