Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Merced Man Sentenced for Aiding Alleged Killer of Cpl. Ronil Singh
GV-Wire-1
By gvwire
Published 5 years ago on
January 16, 2020

Share

Erik Quiroz Razo, 28, of Merced, had faced a maximum of five years in prison for aiding and abetting Paulo Virgen Mendoza, who is charged with murder in the Dec. 26, 2018, shooting death of Cpl. Ronil Singh during a traffic stop.
“The murder of a police officer in the line of duty is an assault on the entire community,” said U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott. “This defendant, a convicted felon and previously deported alien, played a critical role in helping a man accused of killing a police officer to elude apprehension.
“He disposed of the murder weapon, and he urged those close to him to not tell anyone about his activities. The successful prosecution of this defendant sends a message to the community that this behavior will not be tolerated.”
Quiroz Razo is from Michoacán, Mexico.
Photo of Newman, California, police officer Ronil Singh standing next to his patrol car
Newman police Cpl. Ronil Singh. (Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department)

Trump Cited Case in Calling for Border Wall

President Donald Trump has used the case to back his call for tougher border security during a dispute with congressional Democrats over funding for a border wall. Stanislaus County Sheriff Adam Christianson previously said California’s sanctuary law prevented authorities from reporting Mendoza to immigration officials for possible deportation after two previous drunken driving arrests.
Investigators say Singh stopped Mendoza on suspicion of drunken driving before he was killed. Mendoza has pleaded not guilty.
A federal jury in September convicted Quiroz of concealing the truck Mendoza was driving, disposing of the firearm used to kill the officer, and lying to Stanislaus County deputies.

Chowchilla Man Awaits Sentencing in Case

The same jury also convicted Mendoza’s brother, Conrado Virgen Mendoza, 34, of Chowchilla, who awaits sentencing on similar charges. Authorities say he arranged for a smuggler to take his brother across the border, but he was found and arrested at a house two days after Singh’s killing.
A court hearing for Virgen Mendoza is scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 21, where a sentencing date will be set for his involvement in the conspiracy to help his brother flee.
He faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for conspiring to aid in his brother’s flight from authorities. However, his sentence will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

Two Others Previously Sentenced

The suspect’s girlfriend, Ana Leydi Cervantes Sanchez, 31, was sentenced last year to a year and a day in prison after pleading guilty to conspiring to help her boyfriend’s attempted escape.
Another brother, Adrian Virgen Mendoza, 26, previously pleaded guilty and was sentenced to a year and nine months in prison.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen A. Escobar, Laura D. Withers, and Michael G. Tierney are prosecuting the case.

DON'T MISS

A Look at Fresno City College’s New $87 Million Science Building

DON'T MISS

California Gov. Newsom Says the Democratic Brand Is ‘Toxic’

DON'T MISS

‘Trump Slump’ Looms as Foreign Visitors Rethink Travel to US

DON'T MISS

White House Weighs Helping Farmers as Trump Escalates Trade War

DON'T MISS

Torpedo-Shaped Bats Draw Attention After Yankees Hit Team-Record 9 Homers

DON'T MISS

Silver Fire Grows to 1,250 Acres, Threatens Homes in Inyo County

DON'T MISS

3 Kids Killed in Michigan When Tree Hits Vehicle During Weekend Storm

DON'T MISS

March Madness Guide: All No. 1 Seeds in Final Four After Houston and Auburn Win

DON'T MISS

Trump Family Pushes Further Into Crypto, Starting Another Venture

DON'T MISS

Justice Department Instructed to Dismiss Legal Challenge to Georgia Election Law

UP NEXT

Silver Fire Grows to 1,250 Acres, Threatens Homes in Inyo County

UP NEXT

Fresno Police Arrest 12 for DUI, Plan More Enforcement Operations

UP NEXT

Collision Leaves Two Dead, Several Injured After Clovis Police Chase

UP NEXT

Valley Crime Stoppers’ Most Wanted Person of the Day: William Rodriguez Garcia

UP NEXT

Merced Police Chief: Local Sexual Assault Exams ‘Worth’ Higher Cost

UP NEXT

Anjelah Johnson-Reyes to Headline Chukchansi’s Summer Series with ‘Family Reunion Tour’

UP NEXT

Sue or Hold Back? The University of California Does Both as It Faces Trump’s Wrath

UP NEXT

Central Unified Takes Additional Steps To Protect Undocumented Students

UP NEXT

Dueling Protests Clash at Fresno Tesla Dealership

UP NEXT

Top Vaccine Official Resigns From FDA, Criticizes RFK Jr. for Promoting Misinformation, Lies

White House Weighs Helping Farmers as Trump Escalates Trade War

48 minutes ago

Torpedo-Shaped Bats Draw Attention After Yankees Hit Team-Record 9 Homers

58 minutes ago

Silver Fire Grows to 1,250 Acres, Threatens Homes in Inyo County

1 hour ago

3 Kids Killed in Michigan When Tree Hits Vehicle During Weekend Storm

2 hours ago

March Madness Guide: All No. 1 Seeds in Final Four After Houston and Auburn Win

2 hours ago

Trump Family Pushes Further Into Crypto, Starting Another Venture

2 hours ago

Justice Department Instructed to Dismiss Legal Challenge to Georgia Election Law

2 hours ago

Fresno Police Arrest 12 for DUI, Plan More Enforcement Operations

2 hours ago

A Stroke Survivor Speaks Again With the Help of an Experimental Brain-Computer Implant

2 hours ago

Collision Leaves Two Dead, Several Injured After Clovis Police Chase

2 hours ago

A Look at Fresno City College’s New $87 Million Science Building

Anyone passing by Blackstone and Weldon avenues the past year couldn’t help but notice the modern gleaming new building rising from th...

23 minutes ago

Fresno City College students at the new Science Building
23 minutes ago

A Look at Fresno City College’s New $87 Million Science Building

27 minutes ago

California Gov. Newsom Says the Democratic Brand Is ‘Toxic’

A view of downtown San Diego, July 13, 2024. California is among the U.S. destinations that are ramping up marketing efforts to reassure international tourists that they are welcome. (John Francis Peters/The New York Times)
41 minutes ago

‘Trump Slump’ Looms as Foreign Visitors Rethink Travel to US

Soybeans are harvested near Stuttgart, Ark., Oct. 25, 2023. The Trump administration has discussed providing financial aid for farmers who may be subject to retaliation by America’s trading partners. (Rory Doyle/The New York Times)
48 minutes ago

White House Weighs Helping Farmers as Trump Escalates Trade War

New York Yankees' Jazz Chisholm Jr. prepares to bat during the first inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Sunday, March 30, 2025, in New York. (AP/Pamela Smith)
58 minutes ago

Torpedo-Shaped Bats Draw Attention After Yankees Hit Team-Record 9 Homers

The Silver Fire has burned 1,250 acres near Bishop with 0% containment, prompting evacuations as strong winds hamper firefighting efforts. (CalFire)
1 hour ago

Silver Fire Grows to 1,250 Acres, Threatens Homes in Inyo County

A large tree rests on top of a mobile home at Millwood Estates on East Cork Street after a storm Sunday, March 30, 2025, in Kalamazoo, Mich. (Brad Devereaux/Kalamazoo Gazette via AP)
2 hours ago

3 Kids Killed in Michigan When Tree Hits Vehicle During Weekend Storm

Houston's Kelvin Sampson
2 hours ago

March Madness Guide: All No. 1 Seeds in Final Four After Houston and Auburn Win

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend