An Oxnard gang member has been handed a lengthy prison sentence for a series of violent crimes, including the murder of a local man, the Ventura County District Attorney's office confirmed Tuesday. Osvaldo Hernandez, 24, faced justice as he received a sentence of 32 years and 8 months to life for the 2018 murder of Robert De La Cerda and multiple robbery counts.
Hernandez, who pled guilty last November to second-degree murder alongside several robbery charges, was sentenced on crimes that rattled the Oxnard community five years ago. Out on bail for a firearm possession arrest at the time, he embarked on a crime spree that ended with a fatal encounter. The disclosed documents from Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko's office condemned the actions that brought Hernandez to this pivotal conclusion. According to the press release, Hernandez's criminal run started early in the morning on June 27, 2018, with three robberies before attempting a fourth that turned deadly.
"The defendant's sentence holds him accountable for the horrible crimes that he committed," Senior Deputy District Attorney Theresa Pollara stated, signifying the gravity of the crimes committed on a single June day. With victims ranging from unsuspecting pedestrians to a man just starting his car, Oxnard was a community interrupted by the terrifying sequence of robberies and the abrupt violence that followed. "Hopefully, this outcome brings some measure of peace and closure to the multiple robbery victims and the surviving family of Robert De La Cerda," said Pollara.
On that fateful day, Hernandez approached his first victim in a parking lot, simulating a weapon and demanding money; his second act of aggression involved assaulting someone on the street. While pretending to ask for directions, Hernandez's final robbery attempt before the murder saw him and accomplices stealing a man's backpack and skateboard. Shortly thereafter, just after 6:00 a.m., Hernandez approached Mr. De La Cerda and another man, resulting in the fatal shooting that has now seen him sentenced to life behind bars. Following the wave of terror, Hernandez eluded capture for several weeks, getting apprehended by the Oxnard Police Department on July 18, 2018, after thorough investigative efforts.
The guilty counts include second-degree murder, attempted robbery, three counts of robbery, and unlawful firearm possession, compounded by special allegations of personal firearm use and committing a felony post-release from custody.
