Car shooters will work off crime

Three young men who pleaded guilty to shooting BBs at parked car windows in Chula Vista were ordered Nov. 14 to perform community service on probation with a restitution hearing set for March 18, 2014.

The trio may be ordered to pay many thousands of dollars in damages as there were more than 100 cars whose windows were shot out in August and September. Deputy District Attorney Steven Schott said the initial damage estimate of $25,000 is expected to rise.

Arturo Martinez, 21, of San Diego, was ordered to perform 20 days of public service work and a 160-day jail term was suspended. Chula Vista Superior Court Judge Theodore Weathers gave Cordova credit for 20 days already served in jail on terms of three years probation.

Hector Cordova, 20, of Chula Vista, was given credit for 80 days spent in jail and was released from jail that night. Cordova was ordered to perform 10 days of public service work on three years probation.

Alan Ignacio Casanova, 19, of Chula Vista, was given 180 days in jail, with credit for 73 days already served.

The sheriff’s department said Casanova will be released from the South Bay Detention Facility on Dec. 20 on three years probation.

Schott said Casanova’s sentence was longer because he was on probation at the time for auto theft.

The trio pleaded guilty Oct. 17 to two counts of felony vandalism and felony assault of a man who was wounded in the shoulder from BBs on Sept. 27 on East Prospect. They could have been sentenced to 5-year prison terms, but with probation they can be ordered to pay for the damages.

Two suspects were arrested by Chula Vista Police on Oct. 6 and a third was apprehended Oct. 9.