Teen Hijacker of Las Vegas Bus Is Sentenced

The last of four Asian gang members convicted of hijacking a Las Vegas-bound bus in 1994 was sentenced Wednesday to life in prison, but because of his age will go to the California Youth Authority for six years and then likely be released.

Henry Vinh Huynh, 19, appeared before Pomona Superior Court Judge David Milton to be sentenced to an agreed-upon punishment.

Huynh, prosecutors said, was allowed the plea-bargain because of his crucial testimony against his co-conspirators.

It was a fair deal “given that he was a juvenile at the time, had no gun and also agreed to testify for this leniency agreement,” Deputy Dist. Atty. Cynthia Nakao said.

The group boarded the bus in Rowland Heights posing as passengers, then robbed at gunpoint all 41 people aboard. Huynh was the “collector” who kicked a bag down the aisle into which people were told to put their money--about $20,000 in all. The robbers then ordered the bus driver to drop them off in Pomona.

In March, Chang Taing, 20, and Sinh Ton Nguy, 22, were each sentenced to two life terms plus 14 years. Yen Mao Chiu, 24, who was believed to be the mastermind of the crime, was given five life terms plus 10 years.