In the middle of the night, a drug dealer was executed by three foot soldiers of the Orange County chapter of the Mexican Mafia. Federal prosecutors argued that the gang’s leader, Johnny Martinez, ordered the hit from his jail cell. The defendants, Kevin Trejo, James Mendez, and Mike Escobar, were indicted on charges of violent crime, murder, and using a gun for murder. The case against them was built on wiretaps, surveillance video, phone data, and the testimony of a cooperating witness. The prosecutors emphasized that this was Mexican Mafia business, where violence is a key aspect along with drug trafficking. The victim, Richard Villeda, was allegedly killed because he failed to pay taxes to Martinez for selling drugs. The prosecution presented evidence of shell casings, multiple guns used, and a cellphone recovered from the crime scene. Witnesses testified to hearing gunshots and seeing a black SUV near the scene. The prosecution also presented text messages that implicated the defendants in setting up the murder. They argued that Trejo fled to Tijuana after the crime, where the stolen vehicle used in the murder was found abandoned. The trial also featured a key witness, Robert Shermantine, who was contacted by Trejo for his gunsmithing skills. Shermantine testified that Trejo asked him to change the barrel of his gun to avoid ballistics matching. Wiretapped calls revealed Martinez praising Escobar and instructing his associates to support Mendez in jail. The defense argued that the evidence against their clients was weak and circumstantial. They questioned the reliability of cellphone data and the credibility of witnesses. They also raised concerns about the handling of evidence and questioned why evidence from Mejia’s phone was not used to support his testimony.
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