The three men who pleaded guilty in February to crimes related to the shooting death of a man in Oceano were sentenced to serve time in state prison Wednesday.
Robert Garay, 30, Gabriel Garay, 23, and Nathaniel Jara, 24, were sentenced on April 20, 2022, three years after Daniel Fuentes, 41, was shot to death just after midnight on April 3, 2019.
Evidence heard in court indicates that the three men were driving in a vehicle together, with Jara behind the wheel, when they came across Fuentes, who was riding his bike.
Officials say after all three men got out of the vehicle. Robert Garay reportedly fired a handgun at Fuentes, hitting him twice in the back.
Fuentes reportedly died at a neighbor's house in the 2200 block of Beach St. in Oceano after knocking on the door to ask for help.
On Feb. 16, 2022, the three men entered guilty pleas to various charges they faced in Fuentes' shooting death, San Luis Obispo County District Attorney Dan Dow said.
Each of the three men had a previous conviction that qualified as a "strike" under California's Three Strikes sentencing law, which Dow says played a role in their sentencing.
Robert Garay faces 30 years to life in state prison after his guilty plea to second-degree murder and active participation in a criminal street gang. He had been convicted of assault with a deadly weapon in 2010.
Gabriel Luis Garay was sentenced to serve 13 years and 4 months in state prison after he pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and for active participation in a criminal street gang. He had been previously convicted of assault by force likely to cause great bodily injury in 2015.
Nathaniel Jara was sentenced to 13 years and 4 months in state prison after he pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and active participation in a criminal street gang. Jara had been convicted for possession for sale of a controlled substance for the benefit of a criminal street gang in 2018.
Gabriel Garay is Robert Garay's younger brother.
