Man sentenced to 35 years for deadly 2023 San Antonio drug deal robbery
Ray Espinosa (Source: San Antonio Police, mugshot from arrest in 2023)
SAN ANTONIO, Texas - A man was sentenced Friday to 35 years in prison for a 2023 drug deal robbery that resulted in a fatal shooting, prosecutors announced.
Prison sentence
Ray Espinosa was sentenced in the 227th District Court by Judge Christine Del Prado, according to the Bexar County Criminal District Attorney's Office. Espinosa also received a 20-year sentence on three counts of aggravated robbery, which will run concurrently.
The backstory:
The charges stem from a January 2023 incident in which authorities said Espinosa arranged to meet a group of individuals for a drug deal with the intention of robbing them. At the time, Espinosa was 17 years old.
During the confrontation, a passenger in the vehicle tried to defend himself. Espinosa discharged his firearm, striking and killing another passenger, Jonathan Heredia, prosecutors said.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant Criminal District Attorneys Rebecca Gorham and Daryl Sherman.
What they're saying:
"While this will never undo the horrible act that was committed, it is a crucial step towards healing for Jonathan’s family," Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales said in a statement.
The Source: Information in this article is from the Bexar County Criminal District Attorney.