Brutal Merced County jail assault gets lifer inmate another life sentence

A Los Banos man already serving life in prison for murder on Friday was given another life sentence for a 2018 jailhouse assault police say almost killed another man.

Reyes Carrillo, 25, “unfortunately, is an extremely violent recidivist,” Merced County Judge Jeanne Schechter said as she passed down the latest in a series of prison terms the Norteno gang member had been facing.

A jury on Nov. 1 found Carrillo guilty of stabbing or slashing 38-year-old Joseph Alvarez more than a dozen times in jail on May 18, 2018, according to correctional officers’ report.

Reyes already was serving 55 years to life in prison for the brutal 2017 jailhouse murder of Aaron Bonilla. He also was previously convicted of another 2015 gang-related shooting in downtown Los Banos.

The 2018 jailhouse assault was Carrillo’s third strike, leading on Friday to a consecutive sentence of 45 years to life in prison.

Already sentenced to at least 100 years to life in prison, Carrillo is facing yet another murder charge in connection with the 2015 murder of Edward Soriano Ortez, who police said Reyes shot to death for dropping out of the gang.

Prosecutors are expected to produce witnesses in that case on Jan. 17.

“It’s more than just locking somebody up,” said Merced County Deputy District Attorney Matthew Serratto, who prosecuted the case alongside Deputy District Attorney Thane Nored. “It’s also important to bring justice to the victims, bring justice to the families.”

Jailhouse attacks, improvements

Several jailhouse attacks in recent years have drawn criticisms by county officials at the state of the Merced County Main Jail, where most violent criminals are housed as they await court hearings or the end of their jail terms.

Bonilla’s family filed a $2 million lawsuit against the county in the wake of his death.

In addition to Carrillo’s attacks, six inmates were charged with the Sept. 20, 2015, murder of 29-year-old Alejandro Vega.

Robert Gamel, a convicted former Merced County priest, was beaten and kicked in the head by another inmate on May 11, 2017, while awaiting a court hearing on a second child pornography possession charge.

Santiago Martinez was being prosecuted on suspicion of killing 20-year-old Fabian Cardoza at the jail on June 17, 2018. In a rare step, Merced County District Attorney Kimberly Lewis is trying it as a death penalty case.

The 51-year-old jail wasn’t built for today’s criminals, Sheriff Vern Warnke previously told the Sun-Star.

“It’s dangerous for inmates, and it’s more dangerous for correctional officers,” Warnke said. “Don’t think for a minute that inmates aren’t aware of weak points.”

Merced County has been planning to renovate existing dorm spaces at the lower security John Latorraca Correctional Center to provide more space and security for violent suspects and criminals.

Authorities anticipate bidding out the renovations in January, Warnke said Friday. But the current jail deficiencies still remain.