A Lodi man has been sentenced to at least four decades in prison for a shooting that led to his victim’s death two years ago.
San Joaquin County Superior Court Judge Richard Mallett sentenced 25-year-old Alejandro Duran Mercado to 40 years to life in prison on March 20 on charges of second-degree murder and intentional discharge of a firearm resulting in great bodily injury or death.
“I would like to sincerely congratulate Deputy District Attorney Lesley Lyberger and Lodi Police Department for holding the defendant accountable for his heinous actions,” San Joaquin County District Attorney Ron Freitas said in a media statement.
“Unprompted acts of violence will not be tolerated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
On Feb. 26, 2021, Lodi police officers responded to the report of a person suffering a gunshot wound in the 400 block of East Pine Street at about 3 p.m. Upon arrival, officers found 29-year-old Cenobio “Nick” Gallegos lying in the middle of the street with a gunshot wound to the head.
Officers conducted life-saving measures on Gallegos until medical personnel arrived on scene. Gallegos was then taken to a local hospital, where he died from his injuries three days later.
A neighbor who requested to remain nameless for safety, said they did not see the shooting, but heard the shot.
When they looked outside, another neighbor rushed out of her house to tend to Gallegos. That person then ran to find Gallegos’ family, who live on the block, they said.
Hours after Gallegos’ death on March 2, 2021, officers identified Mercado as a suspect, police said.
Detectives and members of Lodi’s SWAT unit served an arrest warrant for Mercado in the 300 block of East Elm Street, where he was taken into custody an booked into San Joaquin County Jail.
Mercado was found guilty buy a jury last month.