Teenager sentenced to 8 years in prison for gang-related hate crime of another student caught on tape
A California teenager has been sentenced to eight years in prison for a gang-affiliated hate crime assault on another student, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
Bryan Blancas, 19, of Long Beach, California confronted another student from the same school, an unnamed 17-year-old African-American male, along with two of his friends on May 15. But when the student tried to flee Blancas allegedly knocked the boy to the ground and began “punching and kicking him multiple times in the head, face and torso,” according to prosecutors.
Blancas was arrested 6 days later but plead no contest yesterday to one felony count of assault by means of force likely to produce great bodily injury as well as admitting that his crime was racially motivated with the intent to benefit a criminal street gang.
Blancas faced a possible maximum sentence of life in prison plus an additional 17 years in state prison. His bail was set at $1,155,000 at the time of his arrest.
Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Daniel Lowenthal sentenced Blancas to eight years in state prison instead.
The entire attack was captured on video by a bystander and then posted to social media which led to anger from many parents at the school who then demanded that school district officials take action, according to the Long Beach Press Telegram.
The two other teen suspects were allegedly booked at Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon.
