Yakima - Today, Michael C. Ormsby, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced that Angel Jose Rangel, age 34, of Yakima, Washington, was sentenced today after having previously plead guilty on Aug. 17, 2016, to being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm. United States District Judge Stanley A. Bastian sentenced Rangel to a 100-month term of imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court supervision after he is released from Federal prison.
According to information disclosed during the court proceedings, on June 21, 2015, the Defendant and two other men entered a bar in Yakima, Washington. The three men were dressed in the color blue. Security officers recognized the blue to be associated with the Sureno street gang. The three men walked over to a group of males who were wearing the color red. Security officers were aware that the color red is associated with the Norteno street gang. Shortly thereafter all of the men quickly exited the bar and proceeded to fight in the parking lot. Security guards rushed outside to stop the fight. The Defendant was losing the fight so he ran to his vehicle and obtained a firearm. The Defendant returned to the parking lot and began waving the firearm while yelling expletives. Security guards and others convinced the Defendant not to shoot anyone. The Defendant and his two friends entered a vehicle and departed from the scene.
Officers with the Yakima Police Department (“YPD") quickly arrived at the scene. Officers reviewed the video footage. An experienced YPD gang officer identified the Defendant and other individuals who had been involved in the gang fight. The officer was aware that the Defendant was known to be a high ranking Sureno gang member.
A few hours later, YPD officers responded to a second bar in regards to a gang fight in progress. A YPD officer observed the Defendant seated in a vehicle. The Defendant was arrested for a community supervision violation. Police obtained a search warrant and found two loaded firearms inside of the vehicle. A loaded pistol was recovered directly beneath where the Defendant had been seated.
The Defendant has a lengthy criminal history which includes convictions for Drive-By Shooting (1997); Drive-By Shooting (1999); Unlawful Possession of a Firearm (2005); Possession of a Dangerous Weapon (2005); Possession of Methamphetamine (2005); Second Degree Robbery (2006); Third Degree Assault (2007); and Second Degree Assault with a Deadly Weapon (2009).
Michael C. Ormsby, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, said, “the United States Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners are committed to protect our community from gang related violence. The United States Attorney’s Office will continue to seek lengthy sentences to remove dangerous gang members from our streets. In this case, the Yakima Police Department Gang Unit conducted a thorough investigation, conducted dozens of interviews, and collected all of the evidence to ensure that justice would prevail."
The investigation was completed by the Yakima Police Department, the Eastern Washington Violent Gangs Safe Streets Task Force/Yakima, and the Department of Homeland Security. This case was prosecuted by Tom Hanlon, an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
