Man sentenced in Mexican mafia murder plot

Story Published: Jan 15, 2009 at 8:22 PM PDT

Story Updated: Jan 16, 2009 at 2:55 AM PDT

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POMONA — One of three men convicted in a Mexican Mafia murder plot that authorities said was foiled by police during an undercover investigation was sentenced today to 85 years to life in state prison.

Pomona Superior Court Judge Robert Martinez imposed the term on Julio Ponce Felix, 35, of Montclair, who was convicted last year of conspiracy to commit murder.

Co-defendants Ricardo Polanco, 26, and Arthur Garcia Jr., 38, had been sentenced earlier to 50 years to life and 55 years to life, respectively, for their parts in the crime.

Felix was the middleman who dealt with Polanco — the proposed hit man — in the 2005 plot to kill a man.

A .38-caliber handgun was recovered by police when Polanco was taken into custody about five blocks from the intended victim's home, authorities said.

A fourth man, Darryl Felix Castrejon, 49, of Rialto, who is accused of being the "boss" of the planned hit, is set to go on trial Jan. 29 in Pomona Superior Court, according to Deputy District Attorney Todd Hicks.

Authorities said the plot was uncovered as a result of surveillance of the 12th Street Gang in Pomona following the shooting death of California Highway Patrol Officer Thomas Steiner outside a Pomona courthouse on April 21, 2004.

Valentino Arenas, a then-16-year-old boy who aspired to be in the gang,
pleaded guilty in December 2004 to Steiner's murder and was sentenced to life
in prison without the possibility of parole.

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bob said on Friday, Apr 17 at 11:49 AM

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