April 14, 2021 - On April 13, 2021, Merced County Superior Court Judge Jeanne Schechter sentenced Jose Hernandez to a total of 54 years to life plus 10 years for his role in a home invasion robbery in Hilmar in 2014 that left one person dead. A Merced County jury found Jose Hernandez guilty of two counts of first-degree home invasion robbery in concert and first-degree burglary on February 7, 2019.

The evidence at trial established that Jose Hernandez and his co-defendants, William White, Victor Hernandez, and Orlando Yepez, arrived in two separate vehicles at the home of Juan Carlos Alvarez around midnight the evening of July 31, 2014 into August 1, 2014. Mr. Alvarez was home alone that night with his girlfriend Gloria Chavez. He was acquainted with Victor Hernandez so when Victor Hernandez and Orlando Yepez approached the house, they were let in. Shortly after entering the house, Victor Hernandez and Orlando Yepez assaulted Mr. Alvarez. Jose Hernandez and William White entered the home at the same moment, joining in the fight against Mr. Alvarez. Victor Hernandez and William White were both armed with guns. Jose Hernandez attacked Mr. Alvarez with a screwdriver. Mr. Alvarez was able to reach for the gun Victor Hernandez was holding. The two struggled together, causing the weapon to discharge. William White fired several shots from his firearm, as well. At that point, Mr. Alvarez fled through the garage and called 9-1-1. When police arrived, they found Mr. Alvarez bloodied with injuries to his hand and back. Inside the home, officers discovered Orlando Yepez had been fatally struck in the hail of bullets. He was deceased and lying on top of an AR-15 rifle. During the investigation, officers located several 9mm and .45 caliber shell casings in the house. They also found a $1,000 bundle of cash, lying on the grass outside the residence.

The victim, Mr. Alvarez was known by the assailants to handle large quantities of cash while selling illegal drugs. On the night of the incident, Mr. Alvarez told police he had $12,000 in cash at the home prior to the robbery. In addition to the cash found in the front yard of the house, William White was observed carrying away a bundle of cash in his hand as he jumped into one of the vehicles and left the scene of the robbery. Co-defendants Victor Hernandez and William White were convicted by a separate Merced County jury in August of 2017. Victor Hernandez was sentenced on November 2, 2017 to 60 years to life plus 35 years and 4 months for his role in this crime. William White was sentenced on November 2, 2017 to 137 years to life plus 96 years for his role in this crime. Jose Hernandez was not in the custody of Merced County law enforcement until late January of 2018. His Merced County court proceedings began in February of 2018. Since his conviction in February of 2019, Jose Hernandez attempted to secure a new trial. The legal battle on that issue took over two years to complete and delayed sentencing until yesterday. Deputy District Attorney Travis Colby prosecuted the case, handling the jury trial in 2019 and all of the work in response to the defendant's motions afterward.

Source & photo: Merced County District Attorney