The prime suspect in last week’s murder and attempted murder in the predawn hours on East Yosemite Avenue was captured in a multi-agency dragnet Tuesday afternoon in Ripon along with the discovery of a cache of firearms and ammunition.
Manteca Police Chief David Bricker called a press conference at 4 p.m. Wednesday in the city council chambers to announce the arrest of the murder suspect in last week’s assault that claimed the life of one man and critically wounded another.
Chief Bricker said that while it has not been determined that the two men are gang members, it is believed there were gang motivations that preempted the shootings that leads officers to believe the shootings were gang related.
Jose Antonio Vega, 29, of Ripon was apprehended by Manteca Police detectives, U.S. Marshals, and the California Parole Fugitive Apprehension Team. The Ripon Police Department also assisted in the arrests of Vega and his partner in crime Lucio Campos Ochoa, 24, of rural Manteca.
Vega is charged in the shooting of two young men, one 18 and the other 19, in the 800 block of East Yosemite Avenue the morning of July 27. Derrik Gann, 19, of Manteca died in Doctors Hospital of Manteca from a fatal wound to the lower body, police said.
The other young man, Jeffery Atteberry, 18, of Manteca, was wounded several times and transported to San Joaquin County General Hospital where he underwent surgery and is recovering, according to police.
Following the assault of gunfire, Manteca detectives and investigators from the California Department of Justice launched a crime scene investigation with detectives developing leads in their search for the suspect.
An arrest warrant was issued for the arrest of Jose A. Vega on July 30, and police agencies in the region were notified to be on the lookout for the murder suspect. On August 3, information was uncovered telling investigators where Vega could be staying. Surveillance teams were organized in cooperation between Manteca Police, state and federal agents.
It was about 2 p.m. on Tuesday that Vega was spotted leaving his home in the 200 block of Elm Street in Ripon. Officers made traffic stop in a shopping center on West Main Street in Ripon where Vega and Ochoa were taken into custody.
Officers located a .40 caliber hand gun in the vehicle driven by Ochoa along with a certain amount of methamphetamine. Search warrants were obtained for both Vega’s residence in Ripon and Ochoa’s home on Northland Road in Manteca where evidence of sales of marijuana and methamphetamine were collected, police said.
At the Ochoa residence officers found two snub nose pistols, several rifles and one AK47 assault rifle along with a significant amount of ammunition. Police discovered heroin stashed in the fake bottom of a Pringles container.
A military flak jacket and a .40 millimeter smoke grenade were also confiscated in the home search.
Officers said they believe both Vega and Ochoa have strong local and regional ties with gangs, but neither has been charged with gang enhancement pending additional investigation and validation.
Vega was charged with murder, attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon resulting in great bodily injury, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, possession of methamphetamine and for the transporting of drugs for sale.
Vega is being held in San Joaquin County Jail in lieu of $1 million bail.
Ochoa has been charged with possession of a control substance, possession of a control substance for sale, transporting controlled substances, possession of controlled substance (heroin), armed during commission of a narcotics felony, and possession of an assault weapon.
He is being held at the San Joaquin County Jail without bail.
Manteca Police Chief David Bricker called a press conference at 4 p.m. Wednesday in the city council chambers to announce the arrest of the murder suspect in last week’s assault that claimed the life of one man and critically wounded another.
Chief Bricker said that while it has not been determined that the two men are gang members, it is believed there were gang motivations that preempted the shootings that leads officers to believe the shootings were gang related.
Jose Antonio Vega, 29, of Ripon was apprehended by Manteca Police detectives, U.S. Marshals, and the California Parole Fugitive Apprehension Team. The Ripon Police Department also assisted in the arrests of Vega and his partner in crime Lucio Campos Ochoa, 24, of rural Manteca.
Vega is charged in the shooting of two young men, one 18 and the other 19, in the 800 block of East Yosemite Avenue the morning of July 27. Derrik Gann, 19, of Manteca died in Doctors Hospital of Manteca from a fatal wound to the lower body, police said.
The other young man, Jeffery Atteberry, 18, of Manteca, was wounded several times and transported to San Joaquin County General Hospital where he underwent surgery and is recovering, according to police.
Following the assault of gunfire, Manteca detectives and investigators from the California Department of Justice launched a crime scene investigation with detectives developing leads in their search for the suspect.
An arrest warrant was issued for the arrest of Jose A. Vega on July 30, and police agencies in the region were notified to be on the lookout for the murder suspect. On August 3, information was uncovered telling investigators where Vega could be staying. Surveillance teams were organized in cooperation between Manteca Police, state and federal agents.
It was about 2 p.m. on Tuesday that Vega was spotted leaving his home in the 200 block of Elm Street in Ripon. Officers made traffic stop in a shopping center on West Main Street in Ripon where Vega and Ochoa were taken into custody.
Officers located a .40 caliber hand gun in the vehicle driven by Ochoa along with a certain amount of methamphetamine. Search warrants were obtained for both Vega’s residence in Ripon and Ochoa’s home on Northland Road in Manteca where evidence of sales of marijuana and methamphetamine were collected, police said.
At the Ochoa residence officers found two snub nose pistols, several rifles and one AK47 assault rifle along with a significant amount of ammunition. Police discovered heroin stashed in the fake bottom of a Pringles container.
A military flak jacket and a .40 millimeter smoke grenade were also confiscated in the home search.
Officers said they believe both Vega and Ochoa have strong local and regional ties with gangs, but neither has been charged with gang enhancement pending additional investigation and validation.
Vega was charged with murder, attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon resulting in great bodily injury, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, possession of methamphetamine and for the transporting of drugs for sale.
Vega is being held in San Joaquin County Jail in lieu of $1 million bail.
Ochoa has been charged with possession of a control substance, possession of a control substance for sale, transporting controlled substances, possession of controlled substance (heroin), armed during commission of a narcotics felony, and possession of an assault weapon.
He is being held at the San Joaquin County Jail without bail.
