Anonymous
Source: Office of the Santa Barbara County District Attorney
On January 7, 2021, Jasper Van Der Meulen and Enzo Rastelli were found inside a vehicle on Burtis Street in Goleta, California, at 12:38 p.m. having sustained gunshot wounds. Enzo Rastelli was found dead at the scene; Jasper Van Der Meulen was transported to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital and died days later.
The Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Department investigated the case and arrested a 15-year old minor and two adults Bryan Munoz and Joshua Vega. The minor and Bryan Munoz were charged separately in juvenile and adult court with conspiracy to commit robbery, multiple murders in association with the Westside criminal street gang and firearm enhancements. Joshua Vega was charged with conspiracy to commit robbery in association with the Westside criminal street gang, robbery, and gang-related crimes and firearm enhancements.
On January 14, 2022, the minor admitted the first-degree murder charges regarding both victims Jasper Van Der Meulen and Enzo Rastelli, and the minor further admitted that he used a firearm during the commission of the murders. The minor also admitted that the crimes were committed in association with the Westside criminal street gang in Santa Barbara to further and assist the gang’s felonious criminal conduct with the special circumstances of multiple murders and gang murder being true.
If convicted as an adult, the maximum confinement in the state prison would be 100 years to life, then life without parole. As a juvenile under the age of sixteen for the same offenses, there is a “baseline term of confinement” of 7 years, with jurisdiction of the juvenile court ending at age twenty-five.
In recent years, the California Legislature mandated the closure of the Division of Juvenile Justice leaving housing for minors under 16 who commit murder and other violent felonies to an established secure youth treatment facility for the minor’s rehabilitation.
On February 28, 2022, the Honorable Judge Garcia sentenced the minor to a secure youth treatment facility for 7 years, not to exceed custody past the age of 25 pursuant to Welfare and Institutions Code section 875. The minor will have review periods every six months until the jurisdiction of the court ends. After 7 years the People may be able to petition the court to extend the minor’s commitment not to exceed age 25.
Adult defendants Bryan Munoz and Joshua Vega are pending trial before the Honorable Clifford Anderson in Department 10 in Santa Barbara. No trial date has been set.
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Not sure I fully understand this. Because he was a 15-year-old minor who murdered two people in cold blood, he will be committed to “a secure youth treatment facility for 7 years.” Then, if “The People” petition to extend this “commitment,” he only does another three years? 10 years for pre-meditated murder of two people?
The reality is that in seven years this criminal will be a ‘made-member’ in La Eme. No rehab can change that. He will kill again.
Sorry folks, but this is nothing new, there’s nothing to see here, just move along. Gang members, just like vagrants, are a protected species and are therefore granted certain immunities or favors by the legal system, as they’re allegedly victims and of what, other than bad life choices, I am not certain of.
These vermin killed 2 wannabe “playas” over a half pound of pot, a substance that has been legal for quite some time now. Bad choices all around.
Nobody deserved any of this, but when the lure of notoriety in the hood is dangled, only the fools step up to snatch it.
10 years maximum? That’s an apprenticeship for La Eme and these guys are going to get a full education then come out as soldiers ready for more marching orders. Just the way it is.