California judge releases alleged gang member murder suspect without bail

A judge in California is facing criticism after releasing a murder suspect and alleged gang member without posting a single cent in bail.

Vicente Aguilera-Chavez and Agustin Sandoval were arrested in January in connection with a June 8, 2017, shooting that left a 21-year-old dead and a 24-year-old injured, according to KTVU.

Aguilera was charged with murder following an alleged gang-related shooting in a Sunnyvale, California, nightclub parking lot, according to the Mercury News. Both men were charged in the death of 21-year-old Edu Veliz-Salgado. A 24-year-old was also injured during the alleged shooting, but survived. The case went cold until 2024, when detectives with the Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety identified the suspects in 2024.

Judge Hector Ramon released Aguilera on his own recognizance during an Oct. 31 hearing, meaning he has to pay no bail, according to NBC Bay Area. Aguilera completed a prison sentence in 2022 stemming from a burglary.

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Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen told NBC Bay Area he’s “very concerned for the safety of our community” and “shocked” as Aguilera is a certified gang member.

“This is a case where somebody charged with first-degree murder, with a gun, for the benefit of a criminal street gang, who had strike offenses before this murder and strike offenses after the murder, and was sent to prison on other charges before the murder,” he added.

The district attorney’s office filed a motion asking Ramon to reconsider his decision to release Aguilera, stating that he’s “gambling” that the suspect doesn’t pose a risk to the community.

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“The court is gambling he does not pose a risk to public safety because he has not been arrested for the last few years,” the motion stated. “The court should give equal weight to his criminal history … and the fact that he brazenly murdered a stranger in front of a crowd because the stranger was drunk and mouthing off.”

Deputy Public Defender Jennifer Redding, Aguilera’s defense attorney, filed the motion seeking his release from pre-trial custody in October and claimed that her client wasn’t involved in the shooting and has strong ties to the community.

“There is no evidence that Mr. Aguilera, especially with (supervised release) conditions, would present any risk of bodily harm to others,” Redding wrote. “Mr. Aguilera is motivated to clear his name. … There is no compelling interest in detaining Mr. Aguilera on public safety grounds or out of concern he is a flight risk.”

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Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety Lt. Devon Klein also voiced his disagreement to the local NBC outlet, saying that the judge has a history of releasing repeat offenders back into the streets.

“Not only are they repeat offenders, but Judge Ramon is a repeat offender,” Klein said. “He has a pattern of releasing repeat offenders back into our communities.”

Fox News Digital has reached out to Redding for comment.

The court declined to comment on behalf of Ramon.