Man Gets 10-Year Prison Term in Shootings

In a case that spurred a controversial ordinance banning gangs from a San Fernando park and drew national attention, a man was sentenced Tuesday to 10 years in state prison for wounding a mother and her three children last year during a gang shootout.

Frank Edward Santiago, 19, of San Fernando previously pleaded innocent to attempted murder and assault in the July 3 shootings in Las Palmas Park, prosecutors said.

But as his trial was scheduled to begin Tuesday in San Fernando Superior Court, he agreed to plead guilty to four counts of assault with a deadly weapon in the shootings of Enriqueta Duran, 30, her daughter and two sons. In return, prosecutors agreed to drop the attempted murder charge, said Deputy Dist. Atty. Cynthia L. Ulfig, who said it appeared that Santiago was not aiming at the Durans.

“We felt the evidence we had would not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he had intended to kill, which we needed for attempted murder,” Ulfig said. “All parties, including Ms. Duran and the San Fernando police, are pleased with the result.”

Santiago, described by Ulfig as “completely cooperative,” will be eligible for parole in 1997.

The shooting prompted San Fernando officials to expand police patrols in the park and then, in September, to adopt the law banning gang members from the park.

The American Civil Liberties Union filed suit to overturn the ordinance in December, calling it an unconstitutional prohibition on the right to free assembly.

Pomona has enacted a similar ordinance, and other jurisdictions are considering measures to ban gangs from parks.

An admitted gang member, Santiago was in a group of about 10 youths who ran into the park the evening of July 3 to attack members of a rival gang gathered near the playground area, Ulfig said.

The Duran family was strolling along the edge of the park near Huntington and Hollister streets when Santiago opened fire with a shotgun at rival gang members, Ulfig said. All four were caught in the cross-fire and struck with small pellets called birdshot.

Duran, her daughter Melina, 9, and her son Hector, 8, were seriously wounded, but have recovered, Ulfig said. Her other son, Hugo, 9, had minor injuries.