Luis Nolasco, just in his early 20s, will spend 22 years in prison for manslaughter.
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"The manner in which the crime was carried out indicates planning, sophistication, and professionalism," said the judge during Nolasco's sentencing.
The case dates back to July of 2022 when Reedley police officers found the body of 15-year-old Alan Herrera in front of his apartment complex.
Police said the 15-year-old boy had several gunshot wounds, and he died at the hospital.
Three months after the shooting, police arrested Nolasco, and the district attorney's office charged the young man with murder.
Nolasco pleaded not guilty, and the case was getting ready to go to trial last summer.
But Nolasco had a change of heart.
He reached a deal with prosecutors and agreed to plead no contest to voluntary manslaughter.
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During his sentencing, three of Herrera's family members sat in the courtroom wearing shirts with his photo.
Feet away from them, Nolasco's defense attorney said his client is already on the right track.
"One positive development that I see, you know, is that my client decided to drop out from the gang and rehab himself. And I think that here's sufficient time, and I really sincerely hope that he'll rehab himself," said defense attorney Curtis Sok.
Despite those comments, the judge offered some harsh words for Nolasco, who sat without showing much emotion.
"It's just so disheartening to the court that a 15-year-old lost his life. It is so completely unnecessary. And now we're going to have Mr. Nolasco lose his freedom for 22 years," said the judge.
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