A Tulare County jury has convicted a Dinuba man of trying to murder a police officer during a 2017 robbery of a gas station convenience store.

Gang member Samuel Camposeco, now 29 years old, is scheduled for sentencing on July 1. He has prior conviction for attempted residential burglary in 2016 and faces 60 years to life in prison.

According to trial testimony, Camposeco and Luis Vargas — both armed with semi-auto pistols — entered the Texaco gas station store in the 1200 block of North Alta Avenue in Dinuba. An off-duty police officer who was inside the store officer noticed the men acting suspiciously and exited the building to call police.

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By chance, a Dinuba Police Department officer arrived at the gas station. Through the windows, the officers saw Vargas pistol-whip the clerk while Camposeco aimed his gun at him.

The Dinuba officer announced his presence and fired at the men. Vargas and Camposeco returned fire, narrowly missing the officer as he retreated to his patrol car. After grabbing some money, Vargas and Camposeco fled. Despite repeated warnings to drop his gun, Vargas kept shooting and was hit by the officer’s gunfire and later died.

The store’s video system captured the robbery and exchange of gunfire.

Camposeco escaped but was arrested a month later in Exeter.

The jury found Camposeco guilty of attempted murder of a peace officer and many other charges on May 29. On Tuesday, the jury declared that he had committed the crimes for the benefit of a street gang.