Chicago Gunmen Sentenced to 15 Years for Car Shooting That Occurred While They Were Out On Bail For Gun Charges

In Chicago, two men who were out on bail for gun-related charges when they unleashed a hail of gunfire on a car, injuring two individuals, have received 15-year prison sentences.

Hector Rivera, a 30-year-old with a record of seven prior felony convictions, and Luis Molina, 29, both entered guilty pleas for two counts of attempted murder. 

These pleas secured them the 15-year sentences from Judge Tyria Walton, as per court records.

At the time of the shooting, Molina had gone AWOL from electronic monitoring, related to his third felony gun case, while Rivera was out on bond for his third gun case.

The incident unfolded when five friends, including three who had just finished their shifts at McDonald's, visited a liquor store on the 2300 block of West 21st Street around 10:45 a.m. on April 6, 2022. 

As one victim entered the store, two armed assailants opened fire on him and the other occupants inside the vehicle.

In response to the gunfire, the driver of the car sped away and rushed to a hospital as two passengers realized they had been shot. An 18-year-old woman sustained a gunshot wound to her bicep, while a 19-year-old man was shot in the stomach.

Detectives managed to identify Molina and Rivera through clear surveillance footage, which showed them brandishing firearms inside the liquor store and firing shots outside the establishment.

Molina was apprehended by Chicago police four days later, having been wanted on an escape from electronic monitoring warrant for seven months. 

He later pleaded guilty to a firearm possession charge, securing a four-year sentence, with the escape charge dropped as part of the agreement.

Rivera, on the other hand, also pleaded guilty to his pending gun case at the time of the shooting and received a two-year sentence in the summer of the same year.

Molina is set for parole on October 24, 2039, while Rivera's expected parole date is January 10, 2035. 

Notably, Molina was the 21st person accused of a killing, shooting, or attempted murder while awaiting trial for a felony in Chicago in 2022, with Rivera being the 15th such case.

In another news, in California, a well-decorated faculty member and track coach at a college is now facing charges related to pimping and human trafficking. He is accused of compelling two women into prostitution. See detailed story here.

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