Trio who fired shots at Thermal home sentenced

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) - Three young men who opened fire on a crowded Thermal home, unleashing numerous rounds in a drive-by attack that continued after sheriff's deputies arrived, were sentenced today.   

Eric Orozco Diaz, Guillermo Alexander Martinez and Gustavo Isbojet Barrera Pena, all 19 and from the eastern Coachella Valley, pleaded guilty in August to 16 counts of firearm assault, two counts of recklessly discharging a gun and one count each of shooting at an occupied dwelling and firing from a moving vehicle.   

The defendants' pleas were directly to Riverside County Superior Court Judge Susanne Cho, without pretrial negotiation between the defense and District Attorney's Office.  

During a hearing Thursday afternoon at the Larson Justice Center in Indio, Cho sentenced Martinez to the longest prison term -- 11 years -- while Diaz and Pena were each sentenced to eight years behind bars.  

The men were arrested last December following a sheriff's investigation.   

The victims at the Thermal property include nine men and five women.  

Sgt. Jarred Bishop said that shortly before 10 p.m. on Dec. 5, the defendants drove to a house in the 88000 block of Avenue 70, near Fillmore Street, and cut loose with a volley of shots at the property, not hitting anyone inside.

The victims called 911, and several patrol units reached the location a short time later.  

"While on scene, a vehicle drove onto the street, and an occupant fired multiple rounds in the direction of deputies, striking one of the patrol vehicles," the sergeant said. "No deputies were injured."  

They also didn't shoot back, but instead gave chase as the vehicle sped away.  

"Deputies pursued the suspect vehicle but lost sight of it," Bishop said. "A short time later, they located an abandoned vehicle matching the suspect vehicle, (which was parked) in the 63000 block of Landon Lane."  

That's roughly 10 miles northwest of where the shooting occurred.   

Bishop said a search of the location after midnight on Dec. 6 resulted in contact with Pena, who tried to run away but was quickly apprehended without further incident.  

Two days later, Diaz and Martinez were also taken into custody after they were summoned and questioned at the sheriff's station on Airport Boulevard in Thermal.  

A possible motive for the attack wasn't disclosed.

The defendants had no documented prior felony convictions in county adult court.