A 22-year-old man named Hans Nanduca received a 30-year sentence for an armed robbery that included the shooting of an AM/PM store clerk in Oceanside and a second event involving gunfire during a robbery attempt in Escondido, San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan confirmed. The defendant, who was on probation at the time, pleaded guilty to several charges, including assault with a semi-automatic firearm.
On Thursday, while wearing a mask, Nanduca launched his criminal assault, permanently affecting the lives of local workers. After firing a weapon, identified as a ghost gun, the criminal managed to slip past apprehension despite intense police efforts. A fortuitous breakthrough came when cartridge casings matched the ghost gun to both the Oceanside and Escondido incidents, compelling an end to this spree of terror, as detailed in a release from the District Attorney's office.
"This defendant's violent crimes nearly took lives of innocent people who were working hard at local businesses. The fact that defendant used a ghost gun made the investigation more difficult, but Oceanside and Escondido police detectives persisted in solving these crimes and our office brought a successful prosecution to end the defendant’s crime spree," DA Summer Stephan said. The impacts of Nanduca's actions extend beyond the courtroom as businesses and victims alike seek to recover from the violence wrought upon them.
The outcome brings some closure to the victims and businesses involved, with the District Attorney expressing readiness to offer specialized services to help process the trauma experienced. Deputy District Attorney Daniel Gochnour of the DA’s North County Branch in Vista was credited with prosecuting this case.
