SLO County bank robber gets 25 years to life

May 6, 2015
George Gonazales

George Gonazales

A Santa Maria man about to stand trial for three San Luis Obispo County bank robberies has accepted a 25 years to life sentence.

George Jessie Gonzales pleaded no contest Tuesday to three counts of robbery, according to a San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office press release. Gonzales was accused of robbing banks in Pismo Beach, Arroyo Grande and Atascadero in 2014.

The robberies occurred in a span of less than one month. Gonzales robbed a Pismo Beach Bank of America on March 21, an Arroyo Grande Bank of America on April 3 and an Atascadero Chase Bank on April 17.

After the Atascadero robbery, police found Gonzales fleeing the scene in a vehicle driven by Paso Robles resident Tonya Michelle Young. Gonzales was hiding in the trunk of the car.

Local law enforcement and the FBI used surveillance footage to determine the same getaway vehicle was used in all three of the robberies.

Young pleaded guilty last June to participating in the Atascadero robbery. She received a three-year prison sentence.

On Tuesday, Gonzales admitted to having two prior convictions that count as strikes. California’s three-strikes law requires stiffer punishments for those who commit serious or violent felonies and already have two strikes.

Judge Jacquelyn Duffy is scheduled to sentence Gonzales on July 13.

 


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So if you admit to three prior strikes and commit 3 more how do you end up with a plea deal? The DA could have US Mailed in a verdict of 30+ years.


What a waste of manpower on the DA’s side!


The first part of this story reads:


“A Santa Maria man about to stand trial for three San Luis Obispo County bank robberies has accepted a 25 years to life SENTENCE”


Based on that statement I would assume that he was SENTENCED.


But the last statement in the story is:


“Judge Jacquelyn Duffy is scheduled to SENTENCE Gonzales on July 13”


The judge has to hear from the defendant that he agrees to waive trial and accept the sentence.


I cant make out the tats on him, do they say “DUMB ASS GANG BANGER” ?


Maybe he needed the money for his 20 grandkids.


Actually they say “old ass gangbanger” – in spanish


Tattoos on your forehead is a pretty good indication of career path.