MS-13 defendant sentenced to 18 years in prison for attempted murder, gang affiliation
Dec. 9—A defendant in an MS-13 gang conspiracy case was sentenced to nearly two decades in prison Friday after pleading guilty to attempted murder charges in connection to the investigation of 10 killings and several attempted homicides across the Santa Maria Valley from 2013 to 2016.
Jose Wilfredo Abarca Soriano, also known by his moniker "Slayer," was sentenced to 18 years in state prison after pleading guilty to one count of attempted murder and admitted two enhancements — carrying out the crime for MS-13 while armed with a gun, according to Senior Deputy District Attorney Ann Bramsen, who is prosecuting the case.
Soriano was immediately sent to prison.
Amber Gordon, who is listed as Soriano's attorney in court records, did not respond to messages seeking comment. A modified gag order signed by Santa Barbara County Superior Court Judge John McGregor on Nov. 17, 2017, prohibits officials in the case from making public statements beyond what's already in the public record.
Soriano, 28, was one of the 17 defendants charged in the case, which was the result of a gang sweep led by the Santa Maria Police Department in March 2016. He was extradited from Virginia in June 2018 and was in custody at the Santa Barbara County Jail without a bail amount listed, according to records.
Of the 17 charged as a result of the operation, Soriano was among the five defendants charged in a lower case in which the defendants were not accused of murder. An arrest warrant remains out for Jose Francisco Mejia Orellana, aka "Smokey," who has not been apprehended.
Other defendants have either pleaded guilty to charges and/or were sentenced to prison terms.
Trials for eight defendants charged with murder are underway in both Santa Maria and Santa Barbara.
Operation Matador defendants
At least 19 men and women were charged in connection to Operation Matador, which was launched by the Santa Maria Police Department in March 2016 into 10 MS-13 linked killings and several attempted homicides in the Santa Maria Valley from 2013 to 2016.
Eight defendants are currently on trial, including five in Santa Maria and three in Santa Barbara.
The defendants include Marcos Manuel Sanchez Torres, Juan Carlos Lozano Membreno, Traquilino Robles Morales, Juan Carlos Urbina Serrano and Luis German Mejia Orellana, who each have been charged with several counts that include murder, gang conspiracy and firearms offenses. Opening arguments in their trial began Nov. 16.
A second group of three defendants being tried in Santa Barbara includes Jose Balmore Saravia Lainez, Jose Ricardo Saravia Lainez, Jose Narciso Escobar Hernandez. That trial is currently in jury selection.
An arrest warrant was issued for Jose Francisco Mejia Orellana on July 8, 2016 and has not been apprehended, according to records.
The case against Enedina Tomas — who was left with a conspiracy count after five additional conspiracy and gun-related charges were dismissed on July 21, 2016 — has remained inactive since July 2016.
All others have pleaded guilty and/or were sentenced to prison. They include:
Mayra Ortega, sentenced to five years of probation and 416 days in jail. A warrant was issued for her arrest on Dec. 9, 2016, court records show.
Rafael Lainez Castro, sentenced to eight years in state prison on Oct. 24, 2018.
Fermin Rodas, sentenced to 1 year of probation on Feb. 28, 2019.
Ezekiel Escalante-Rivera, sentenced to 19 years and four months in state prison on Oct. 7, 2019.
Jose Emedalio Bonilla-Mejia, sentenced to life in federal prison on May 13, 2020.
Jose Eleuterio Mejia Orellana, sentenced to 12 years on April 26, 2021.
Jose Juan Sanchez Torres, sentenced to 24 years and eight months in state prison on Nov. 15, 2021.
Olvin Serrano, sentenced to 24 years and eight months in state prison on Nov. 19, 2021.
Jose Wilfredo Abarca Soriano, sentenced to 18 years in state prison on Dec. 3, 2021.
