July 13, 2021 - Today, three of the six Defendants charged in the January 9, 2021, escape from the Merced County Jail entered no contest pleas for their role in the escape. The Defendants, Andres Nunez-Rodriguez, Fabian Roman and Gabriel Coronado were convicted of Penal Code section 4532(b)(2), Escape by force or violence and admitted a gang enhancement under Penal Code section 186.22(b)(1)(A), that the crime was committed for the benefit of or in association with a criminal street gang. Each of these Defendants received to a sentence of eight years for their pleas and admissions to be served consecutive to the sentences received in the cases pending at the time of the escape.
The Defendant's convictions stem from an escape in the late evening hours of January 9 and early morning of January 10, 2021. The Defendants cut through a vent in a cell shared by nine inmates. The inmates accessed an air conditioning unit and made access to the jail's roof where they utilized a rope made of bedsheets to get to the street.
Fabian Roman and Andres Nunez-Rodriguez were apprehended with the assistance of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection at the San Ysidro Port of Entry when the escapees attempted to cross the border into Mexico. Escapee Edgar Ventura turned himself into the Firebaugh Police Department a few days after the escape. Finally, Gabriel Coronado was captured by Merced County Sheriff's Deputies assigned to the STAR team.
In addition to the above charges, Defendant Andres Nunez-Rodriguez (pictured above) was convicted of assault with a semi-automatic firearm, a gun enhancement, and two counts of shooting at an inhabited dwelling and was sentenced to a total of twenty-four years and four months to be served in state prison.
Defendant Gabriel Coronado (pictured above) was convicted of assault with a firearm, a gun enhancement and shooting at an inhabited dwelling. He was sentenced to a total of twenty-two years and four months in state prison.
At the time of the escape, Defendant Fabian Roman (pictured above) was serving a twenty-five to life sentence. He received eight years consecutive to the life sentence.
Previously, Defendant Edgar Ventura entered a similar no contest plea and received a total sentence of eight years in state prison.
Thane Nored prosecuted the case.
Source: Merced County District Attorney’s Office
Merced County Sheriff’s Office Reports Six Inmates Escaped from Merced County Downtown Jail
