Teen Pleads Guilty to Racial Attack
A 19-year-old man admitted in court Monday that he stabbed and wounded a Latino fisherman in a racially motivated attack at the Balboa Pier a year ago, prosecutors said.
Dennis Paul Desanti Jr. of Westminster pleaded guilty in Superior Court in the attempted murder of Ramon Valdez Martinez, 38, of Orange. Martinez was fishing near the Balboa Fun Zone when he was knifed in an apparently unprovoked attack, authorities said. Desanti, who was arrested nearby, also admitted to committing the crime because of the victim’s race and to trying to dissuade a witness from making a police report.
In October 1996, Desanti and some friends were roaming the pier about 9:45 p.m. when witnesses noticed that they were talking about “white power.” Moments later, Desanti stabbed Martinez in the right shoulder blade, sending the fisherman to the hospital, where he recovered from his injuries.
A man who was at the pier with Desanti that night wanted to go to police and was threatened by the assailant, Deputy District Atty. Denise Hansen said.
Desanti faces a maximum of 17 years in prison. Sentencing is Dec. 5.
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