A Ventura County gang member has been found guilty of killing a man with a sawed-off shotgun in December 2022.
Michael Ortega, 24, of Oxnard was convicted by a jury last week on charges of murder, felony possession of a gun and felony possession of a sawed-off shotgun.
Ortega was one of two men charged in the Dec. 5, 2022, killing of John Paul Carrillo.
According to the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office, Ortega, his co-defendant Paul Ramos, and a third man, traveled to an apartment complex on Gonzalez Road in Oxnard just after midnight where they confronted a man in the parking lot.
The man was able to convince the three that he was “in good standing with their gang,” and the men let him go.
They then confronted Carrillo in a carport. Carrillo, who the D.A.’s Office says was not affiliated with any local gangs, was punched and shot in the chest with the shotgun and pronounced dead at the scene.
The three suspects fled the scene in Ramos’ vehicle, but were captured on security footage committing the crime.
Ortega was arrested days later by Oxnard Police Department Officers. The murder weapon, the D.A.’s Office said, “fell out of his pants as they arrested him.” He was also found to be in possession of methamphetamine at the time of his arrest.
Ramos was arrested in March 2023 during a traffic stop and pleaded guilty to two felony counts of assault with a deadly weapon. He was sentenced in June to 10 years in state prison.
While Ortega was convicted on the most serious charge of murder, he was found not guilty of assault with a deadly weapon and mistrials were declared in some of the other gun charges.
Ortega had previously been convicted of shooting a victim in the back with a shotgun in 2019 and was thus prohibited from possessing a firearm.
A judge will decide later this week if additional special allegations for those previous convictions are needed.
Ortega remains in custody without bail and could face up to 65 years to life in state prison.
“Hopefully, the verdict brings some form of solace to the family who lost their grandson to a group of men intent on enforcing territory claimed by a gang,” said Senior Deputy District Attorney Theresa Pollara.