Three “foot soldiers” from the Orange County branch of the notorious Mexican Mafia were found guilty on Friday of murdering a drug dealer in Orange, California. The hit was allegedly ordered by Johnny Martinez, the reputed leader of the umbrella group that oversees local gangs. Kevin Trejo, James Mendez, and Mike Escobar were the first defendants to stand trial in the Operation Night Owl racketeering case, which aimed to dismantle the Mexican Mafia and its leadership. The trio faces sentencing on March 25. Their convictions were secured through an array of evidence, including wiretaps, surveillance footage, phone data, and the testimony of a cooperating witness.
Defense attorney Kenneth Reed, who represents Escobar, stated, “Although the trial is complete, we still have a sentencing hearing to prepare for. After that, Mr. Escobar will pursue all available legal options.”
Prosecutors argued that Johnny Martinez orchestrated the murder of Richard Villeda, a 28-year-old drug dealer who was killed on August 21, 2017. Martinez, alongside Robert Aguirre and Dennis Ortiz, allegedly assumed control of the Mexican Mafia following the imprisonment and death of prior leader Peter Ojeda. The prosecution claims that these three men, like Ojeda, continue to run the organization from prison. Omar Mejia, a high-ranking member, testified against Trejo, Mendez, and Escobar during the trial.
The case against the defendants relied heavily on wiretaps, surveillance footage, phone data, and the testimony of a cooperating witness. The prosecution argued that the killing was an act of Mexican Mafia business and was ordered by Johnny Martinez. The court heard that Villeda was expected to pay Martinez a cut of his drug sales, but failed to do so. As a result, two guns were used to shoot Villeda in the back and the back of the head, leaving him to bleed to death in the street.
Mary Hansen, a neighbor who heard the gunshots that night, discovered Villeda’s body and called for help. Officer David Schweitzer testified that several shell casings were found at the crime scene, along with Villeda’s belongings. Text messages recovered from Escobar’s phone indicated that he had arranged a meeting with Villeda shortly before the murder.
Prosecutors maintained that Johnny Martinez organized the hit from prison, despite a lack of wiretap evidence. However, a wiretapped call between Martinez and an associate suggests that he ordered the killing. The prosecution argued that Trejo, Mendez, and Escobar had no personal motive to kill Villeda and that they carried out the act to increase their status within the Mexican Mafia.
During the trial, defense attorney Oliver Cleary, representing Trejo, challenged the prosecution’s evidence, claiming it was circumstantial and weak. Cleary argued that there was no direct proof that Trejo was present at the crime scene or Villeda’s residence. He also questioned the reliability of the cellphone data and the credibility of the prosecution’s key witness, Robert Shermantine. Cleary contended that the absence of DNA or fingerprint evidence from the abandoned getaway vehicle further weakened the case against his client.
The trial of Johnny Martinez is set to take place at a later date.
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