A Stanislaus County judge on Friday handed 37-year-old Juan Ortega of Patterson a sentence of 55 years to life in prison after a jury found him guilty of murdering his roommate, 62-year-old Anthony Pistoia. The killing dates back to May 2021, when Pistoia’s body was pulled from a nearby canal and Ortega was arrested shortly afterward. The sentence and case details were announced this week by the Stanislaus County District Attorney.
District Attorney Jeff Laugero revealed the outcome in a Facebook post, noting that his office did not offer Ortega any plea deals and naming prosecutor Mark Garcia as the lead attorney on the case, according to the Stanislaus County District Attorney. Laugero said jurors convicted Ortega and found true enhancement allegations that he had at least three prior serious and violent felonies on his record, which prosecutors argued significantly increased his potential prison time. The post also listed a media contact for follow-up questions.
How Investigators Connected Ortega To The Killing
Prosecutors said Ortega “approached and beat to death” Pistoia with a blunt object inside the home they shared, then moved Pistoia’s body to a canal, according to the Stanislaus County District Attorney. Pistoia’s body was recovered from the California Aqueduct near the 6700 block of McCracken Road in Westley in May 2021, and deputies searched a home on the 1100 block of Tern Way in Patterson during the early stages of the investigation, according to CBS Sacramento. Ortega was arrested soon after the discovery and remained in county custody as the case moved toward trial.
Why The Prison Term Is So Long
The district attorney’s office said the jury found true allegations that Ortega had committed at least three prior serious and violent felonies. Prosecutors used those findings to argue for a longer sentence. Under California law, certain prior serious-felony convictions can add five-year enhancements, and the state’s Three Strikes framework can sharply increase prison exposure for repeat violent offenders, which helps explain the 55-years-to-life term, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. The judge imposed the sentence after hearing arguments at the sentencing hearing…