Kinfolk gang member sentenced to prison in fatal shooting of Bandidos El Paso president

A Kinfolk biker gang member was sentenced Thursday to 56 years in prison after he was found guilty of fatally shooting the president of the Bandidos' El Paso chapter.

Javier Gonzalez was sentenced on a murder charge in the shooting of Juan "Compa" Martinez Jr. on July 30, 2017, at Mulligan's Chopped Hog bar at 1810 George Dieter Drive. Martinez, who was shot seven times, died days after the shooting.

Three other men linked to the Bandidos were injured in the shooting.
Gonzalez, who was vice president of the El Paso chapter of the Kinfolk Motorcycle Club, also was sentenced to 30 years in prison on each of two counts of engaging in organized criminal activity-aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

He also received a 15-year prison sentence on an additional count of engaging in organized criminal activity-aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

The sentences will be served concurrently.
The jury of five women and seven men convicted Gonzalez on the four counts Wednesday and deliberated for less than three hours before reaching a decision on the sentencing Thursday.

He was facing up to life in prison on each of the four counts. The trial, which began Jan. 15, was held in the 34th District Court with Judge William E. Moody presiding.

More: Jury finds Kinfolk biker guilty of murder in death of El Paso Bandidos leader (link is external)

Gonzalez's lawyers, Omar Carmona and Dolph Quijano Jr., argued throughout the trial that Gonzalez acted in self-defense because he feared for his life as he faced members of the rival gang.

“There is no verdict,” Carmona said in his closing arguments. “There is no argument that can bring back Mr. Martinez. There is nothing that can make Mr. Martinez’s family whole again. Mr. Gonzalez is not a cold-blooded killer. He is no monster.” He continued, “He is going to have to live with your verdict, but he is no monster."

More: Reputed Kinfolk MC member says he feared for his life during brawl that left Bandido dead (link is external)

State prosecutors Rebecca Tarango and Patrick Sloane countered that the shooting of Martinez and the other Bandidos members was a planned attack against the rival gang.
“He took a life and destroyed two other lives (Martinez’s family) and those around them,” Tarango said in her closing arguments. “He left a widow. He should get a life sentence for the lives he destroyed forever and the life he took. The defendant isn’t a teenager who got involved with the wrong crowd. He is a man.”

Juan Martinez Jr. (Photo: Courtesy)

She added: “This was planned. This was premeditated. ... He is not sorry. He did a job for the Kinfolk. He is still in Kinfolk. It is hard to see his (Gonzalez's) family, but you (the jury) didn’t put them in this situation. Nobody put them in this situation but him.”

During victim impact statements, Martinez’s wife, Graciela Martinez, addressed Gonzalez.
“You didn’t take responsibility for what you had done,” she said as she cried and looked at Gonzalez. “You ran like a coward. Javier Gonzalez, you didn’t care about or consider the consequences of your actions or the families you destroyed.

I ask you to remember Juan Martinez and the families you destroyed ... You took my life partner.

Don’t you ever forget Juan Martinez.
David Villalobos, who was wounded in the shooting, also addressed Gonzalez.
“I will never understand why you would do this,” Villalobos said. “You not only took Compa’s life, you took a lot of people’s lives. I’ll never understand this.”

Norma Salcido, wife of Ballardo Salcido who was injured in the shooting, delivered a message from her husband to Gonzalez.
“I am only here to say what my husband wanted me to tell you,” Salcido said. “I have nothing to say to you. He wanted me to tell you, ‘May God save your soul.’”

After the sentencing was handed down, Gonzalez’s lawyer Omar Carmona said they are disappointed with the verdict, but send their sympathy to the families impacted.
“We are disappointed with the verdict, but we respect the verdict — that’s why we have jury trials,” Carmona said. “Obviously, Mr. Gonzalez and his family are very disappointed. A lawyer will be appointed to review possible appeal matters. But I also know this has taken its toll on the Martinez family, the Salcido family, the Villalobos family and the (Juan Miguel Vega-Rivera) family, so our hearts and prayers are with them as well.”

El Paso County District Attorney Jaime Esparza felt justice was served.
“This was a cold and calculated murder and the jury’s 56 year prison sentence is just,” he said in a statement.


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