Salinas man sentenced to prison for attacking person at gang party

SALINAS, Calif. (KION) The Monterey County District Attorney's Office said a Salinas gang member has been sentenced to prison for assault with a knife causing great bodily injury for the benefit of a gang.

The man, 33-year-old Gabriel Garcia, was sentenced to 17 years in prison.

The assault happened in July 2020. Salinas police responded to Natividad when a patient arrived with cuts on his face and back, and the patient told them that he had been attacked by rival gang members at first.

The patient later said he made up the story because he was scared to tell the truth, according to the DA's Office. He then told them he want to a gang party and was asked whether he associates with or belongs to a neighborhood affiliated with the gang. He said he was attacked by multiple gang members after that and that Garcia cut him with a pocket knife, saying he was not good enough for the gang.

The conviction is considered a strike under California's Three Strikes Laws.