What is the name of your state? CA
Can anyone explain why this cop is dead and other's go to prison for life for stealing a piece of pizza?
Accused cop-killer: adult life of parole, probation or prison
OCEANSIDE ----- Since he was 15, Adrian George Camacho has spent every single day of his life either in prison or on some kind of supervised release. Court records and a state prison report tell of a 28-year-old man whose life is punctuated with gang life, use of narcotics and a history of violence.
His life outside of prison may have ended Friday, when he was arrested for the murder of Oceanside Police Officer Tony Zeppetella. The 27-year-old rookie was shot to death Friday afternoon during a traffic stop in front of the Navy Federal Credit Union. The shooter left the dying officer lying in the street and drove off in his patrol car with the officer's gun.
Camacho was arrested later in the afternoon after police surrounded an Oceanside home that apparently belongs to one of Camacho's relatives.
He will be arraigned on murder charges Wednesday afternoon and is being held without bail in the Vista County Jail. Prosecutors are expected to seek the death penalty because, under California law, killing a peace officer gives them that choice in how the case is charged.
Court records show Camacho pleaded guilty to felonies on four separate occasions, in 1993, 1995, 1996 and 1999. The San Diego County District Attorney's office did not respond to questions about why Camacho was not previously charged as a three-strikes offender.
By 1999, he'd been involved in a drive-by shooting, had fled from a traffic stop, had been arrested twice carrying loaded guns and had multiple drug arrests and convictions, court records show.
Camacho's gang nickname is 'Chubbes,' which appeared in public records in 1993. He also used the name 'Eddie,' court records show. Camacho has at least three juvenile arrests, but juvenile records are not open to the public.
"Camacho's looks are deceiving," states a report written in 1994 by Julian Marquez, of the California Department of Corrections. "He appears innocent, however he has been targeted by the Oceanside Police Department for gang involvement since 1990."
Marquez wrote the report to recommend against early release for Camacho, who was sentenced to 16 months in prison in January 1994, after he was arrested and charged with possession of methamphetamine and a hypodermic needle. He pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine in June 1993 ---- when he was barely 18.
Police found him sitting in a yard on Calle Vallecito with the needle, some meth and a cooker, either preparing to inject or having just injected himself with the meth, the report notes. Police had a felony warrant for his arrest before they found the drugs, according to the report.
"This ... is Camacho's first adult conviction, but that can only be credited to the fact that Camacho just turned 18," Marquez wrote. "His involvement with gang activity began at age 15 with the Mesa Locos in Oceanside."
Camacho had been convicted twice of felonies as a juvenile, in 1991 for carrying a loaded firearm and for his involvement in a drive-by shooting in Oceanside where the victim was shot in the arm. In 1992, he was arrested for carrying a loaded gun that police later learned was stolen, the report states.
While serving the 1993 sentence, Camacho enrolled in a vocational welding program and apparently did well, the report notes. But, still, Marquez recommended against early release.
"While his current plans are to live with his grandmother, there was no personal motivation shown for a willingness to work and help contribute financially on release," the report says. "He has not made a commitment to sever his friendships with members of the Mesa Locos."
Camacho was on parole in March 1995 when he was arrested for possession of heroin, a syringe and other drug paraphernalia. His parole was revoked. He pleaded guilty to possession of heroin and was sentenced to an additional 16 months in prison in May 1995.
Camacho was on parole again in August 1996 when he was arrested with a stolen sawed-off shotgun, narcotics and drug paraphernalia, according to court records. He pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and, in September 1996, he was sentenced to an additional two years in prison.
Records do not show when he was released, but records about the next arrest indicate he was still on parole.
In November 1999, he was arrested in Oceanside while he was driving under the influence of heroin. Camacho fled from Oceanside police officers after they tried to pull him over, and he was charged with evading police as well as possession of narcotics and a hypodermic needle.
He pleaded guilty to driving under the influence and evading an officer and was sentenced to four years in prison, followed by supervised release. The records do not show when Camacho was released, but do show that he was referred to a drug treatment program conducted by the state prisons.
In a neatly printed entry in the 1999 court file, Camacho admitted his guilt.
"I EVADED POLICE AND DROVE RECKLESSLY UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE," he wrote, all in capital letters.
MARTY GRAHAM
Staff Writer - North County Times
Can anyone explain why this cop is dead and other's go to prison for life for stealing a piece of pizza?
Accused cop-killer: adult life of parole, probation or prison
OCEANSIDE ----- Since he was 15, Adrian George Camacho has spent every single day of his life either in prison or on some kind of supervised release. Court records and a state prison report tell of a 28-year-old man whose life is punctuated with gang life, use of narcotics and a history of violence.
His life outside of prison may have ended Friday, when he was arrested for the murder of Oceanside Police Officer Tony Zeppetella. The 27-year-old rookie was shot to death Friday afternoon during a traffic stop in front of the Navy Federal Credit Union. The shooter left the dying officer lying in the street and drove off in his patrol car with the officer's gun.
Camacho was arrested later in the afternoon after police surrounded an Oceanside home that apparently belongs to one of Camacho's relatives.
He will be arraigned on murder charges Wednesday afternoon and is being held without bail in the Vista County Jail. Prosecutors are expected to seek the death penalty because, under California law, killing a peace officer gives them that choice in how the case is charged.
Court records show Camacho pleaded guilty to felonies on four separate occasions, in 1993, 1995, 1996 and 1999. The San Diego County District Attorney's office did not respond to questions about why Camacho was not previously charged as a three-strikes offender.
By 1999, he'd been involved in a drive-by shooting, had fled from a traffic stop, had been arrested twice carrying loaded guns and had multiple drug arrests and convictions, court records show.
Camacho's gang nickname is 'Chubbes,' which appeared in public records in 1993. He also used the name 'Eddie,' court records show. Camacho has at least three juvenile arrests, but juvenile records are not open to the public.
"Camacho's looks are deceiving," states a report written in 1994 by Julian Marquez, of the California Department of Corrections. "He appears innocent, however he has been targeted by the Oceanside Police Department for gang involvement since 1990."
Marquez wrote the report to recommend against early release for Camacho, who was sentenced to 16 months in prison in January 1994, after he was arrested and charged with possession of methamphetamine and a hypodermic needle. He pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine in June 1993 ---- when he was barely 18.
Police found him sitting in a yard on Calle Vallecito with the needle, some meth and a cooker, either preparing to inject or having just injected himself with the meth, the report notes. Police had a felony warrant for his arrest before they found the drugs, according to the report.
"This ... is Camacho's first adult conviction, but that can only be credited to the fact that Camacho just turned 18," Marquez wrote. "His involvement with gang activity began at age 15 with the Mesa Locos in Oceanside."
Camacho had been convicted twice of felonies as a juvenile, in 1991 for carrying a loaded firearm and for his involvement in a drive-by shooting in Oceanside where the victim was shot in the arm. In 1992, he was arrested for carrying a loaded gun that police later learned was stolen, the report states.
While serving the 1993 sentence, Camacho enrolled in a vocational welding program and apparently did well, the report notes. But, still, Marquez recommended against early release.
"While his current plans are to live with his grandmother, there was no personal motivation shown for a willingness to work and help contribute financially on release," the report says. "He has not made a commitment to sever his friendships with members of the Mesa Locos."
Camacho was on parole in March 1995 when he was arrested for possession of heroin, a syringe and other drug paraphernalia. His parole was revoked. He pleaded guilty to possession of heroin and was sentenced to an additional 16 months in prison in May 1995.
Camacho was on parole again in August 1996 when he was arrested with a stolen sawed-off shotgun, narcotics and drug paraphernalia, according to court records. He pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and, in September 1996, he was sentenced to an additional two years in prison.
Records do not show when he was released, but records about the next arrest indicate he was still on parole.
In November 1999, he was arrested in Oceanside while he was driving under the influence of heroin. Camacho fled from Oceanside police officers after they tried to pull him over, and he was charged with evading police as well as possession of narcotics and a hypodermic needle.
He pleaded guilty to driving under the influence and evading an officer and was sentenced to four years in prison, followed by supervised release. The records do not show when Camacho was released, but do show that he was referred to a drug treatment program conducted by the state prisons.
In a neatly printed entry in the 1999 court file, Camacho admitted his guilt.
"I EVADED POLICE AND DROVE RECKLESSLY UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE," he wrote, all in capital letters.
MARTY GRAHAM
Staff Writer - North County Times