Filed 8/18/15 P. v. Villegas CA5

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IN THE COURT OF APPEAL OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

FIFTH APPELLATE DISTRICT

THE PEOPLE,

Plaintiff and Respondent,

v.

GABRIEL VILLEGAS,

Defendant and Appellant.

F067429

(Super. Ct. No. DF010724A)

OPINION

THE COURT*

APPEAL from a judgment of the Superior Court of Kern County. Michael E. 

Dellostritto, Judge.

Laura P. Gordon, under appointment by the Court of Appeal, for Defendant and

Appellant.

Office of the State Attorney General, Sacramento, California, for Plaintiff and 

Respondent.

-ooOoo-

 

* Before Gomes, Acting P.J., Poochigian, J. and Smith, J.
2.

A jury convicted appellant Gabriel Villegas of assault with a deadly weapon by an 

inmate (count 2/Pen. Code, § 4501, subd. (a)),1 and possession of a deadly weapon by an 

inmate (count 3/§ 4502, subd. (a)). In a separate proceeding, the court found true a 

serious felony enhancement (§ 667, subd. (a)(1)), five prior prison term enhancements 

(§ 667.5, subd. (b)), and allegations that Villegas had a prior conviction within the 

meaning of the three strikes law (§ 667, subds. (b)-(i)). 

Following independent review of the record pursuant to People v. Wende (1979) 

25 Cal.3d 436 (Wende), we affirm.

FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY

On July 22, 2011, at approximately 11:00 a.m. Correctional Officer Alberto 

Jimenez was helping release prisoners into the yard when he heard someone say over the 

public address system, “Get down. Get down[.]” Jimenez looked out to the yard and saw 

Correctional Officer Ernest Sanchez standing by the front gate yelling at inmates to get 

down. Jimenez went to the gate and saw Villegas in the yard on top of inmate Arthur 

Eskins. Eskins was on his knees covering his head and face with his arms and hands as 

Villegas appeared to stab him with something that he held in his hands. Pursuant to 

prison protocol, Jimenez and Sanchez waited for at least one additional officer before 

responding to the location where the assault was occurring. During the approximately 

two minutes it took for another officer to respond, Villegas continued stabbing inmate 

Eskins. When the officers were about 15-feet away from the location of the assault, 

Villegas threw something away and got on the ground in a prone position. Villegas did 

not resist when he was restrained. 

Correctional Lieutenant Ronald Lemons also responded to the location of the 

assault. He recovered an inmate-manufactured weapon from the ground near the victim. 

 

1 All further statutory references are to the Penal Code.
3.

The weapon was known as a “tomahawk” in prison parlance and it consisted of the 

handle from a state issued razor and two razor blades attached to it with elastic. 

Eskins was removed from the yard on a gurney and treated for shock, scratches 

and superficial cuts. 

On April 23, 2012, the district attorney filed an information charging Villegas with 

premeditated attempted murder (count 1/§§ 664 & 187, subd. (a)), assault with a deadly 

weapon by an inmate (count 2/§ 4501, subd. (a)), and unlawful possession of a weapon 

by an inmate (count 3/§ 4502, subd. (a)). Counts 1 and 2 also alleged a personal use of a 

deadly weapon enhancement (§ 12022, subd. (b)(1)) and a great bodily injury 

enhancement (§ 12022.7, subd. (a)). The information also alleged a serious felony 

enhancement (§ 667, subd. (a)(1)), six prior prison term enhancements (§667.5, subd. 

(b)), and that Villegas had a prior conviction within the meaning of the three strikes law

(§ 667, subds. (b)-(i)). 

On March 27, 2013, a jury found Villegas guilty on counts 2 and 3. 

On March 28, 2013, the prosecutor dismissed one prior prison term enhancement 

and the court found true the five remaining prior prison term enhancements, the serious 

felony enhancement, and the allegations that Villegas had a prior conviction within the 

meaning of the three strikes law. 

On April 30, 2013, the court denied Villegas’s Romero2 motion and sentenced him 

to an aggregate term of 22 years: the aggravated term of six years on his assault 

conviction, doubled to 12 years because of Villegas’s prior strike conviction, a five-year 

serious felony enhancement, five one-year prior prison term enhancements, and a stayed, 

eight-year term on his possession of a weapon conviction. 

Villegas’s appellate counsel filed a brief which summarizes the facts, with 

citations to the record, raises no issues, and asks this court to independently review the 

 

2 People v. Superior Court Romero (1996) 13 Cal.4th 497. 
4.

record. (Wende, supra, 25 Cal.3d 436.) Villegas has not responded to this court’s 

invitation to submit additional briefing.

Following an independent review of the record, we find that no reasonably 

arguable factual or legal issues exist.

DISPOSITION

The judgment is affirmed.