A man learned how long he will spend behind bars for his role in a deadly shooting at a bowling alley in Fresno.
A judge sentenced Rafael Gonzalez to 20 years in prison for the murder of 19-year-old Devin Johnson after he accepted a plea deal to change the charge from first-degree murder to manslaughter.
Chilling surveillance video shows the moment shots rang out during the 2022 shooting at the Bowlero in northeast Fresno.
During the sentencing Thursday, Johnson’s mother spoke about her son’s accomplishments in his life cut short.
“My son was an honor roll student in high school. Despite the fact that he was killed in February, I still have a high school diploma with my son’s name on it. He was on a date. He made sure that the people he was with got out of there safely,” said Johnson’s mother, Valerie Myers.
The sentencing comes as Gonzalez and the co-defendant, 21-year-old Giovanni Rodriguez, accepted a plea deal.
“He was charged with first-degree murder, and then he took a plea to voluntary manslaughter because, under the new sentencing guidelines, he’ll have his first opportunity at parole after about 15 years,” said Gonzalez’s Defense Attorney, Gerald Schwab.