A 32-year-old man has been sentenced to 38 years to life in state prison for the attempted murder of a San Diego Police Department officer and other related charges. According to a press release from the San Diego County District Attorney's Office, J.C. Blake Sartor was handed his sentence after a jury found him guilty on July 10. The same statement also quoted District Attorney Summer Stephan, highlighting the dangers of routine traffic stops, saying, "Fortunately, Officer James Romero survived the attempt on his life and I’m proud of our prosecution team's dedicated work to deliver justice on his behalf and on behalf of the community."
Sartor's convictions stem from an incident in June 2023, when SDPD Officer James Romero attempted to stop him while driving a stolen vehicle. The situation escalated into a foot chase, during which Sartor fired two shots, with one bullet wounding Officer Romero in the arm, according to the District Attorney's Office. Having lifted fingerprints and DNA from the stolen truck, law enforcement identified Sartor as the suspect, leading to his arrest.
During the trial, Officer Romero identified Sartor as his assailant and shared that he continues to experience pain and nightmares months after the shooting. In defense, Sartor's attorney, Loyst Fletcher, argued that the evidence did not conclusively prove his client was the shooter. According to an NBC San Diego report, Fletcher said, "Obviously, it wasn't the result we were looking for," following the verdict announcement.
Despite Fletcher raising concerns over the absence of Sartor's DNA or fingerprints on the gun and discrepancies in suspect descriptions, Deputy District Attorney Clay Biddle maintained that the totality of the evidence was "overwhelming and abundant" in proving Sartor was the shooter. Details reinforcing the prosecution's case included Sartor's fingerprints and DNA inside the stolen truck, his cell phone location data, and incriminating statements made to an informant in the county jail. San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl, echoing the relief and gratitude shared by the law enforcement community, said in the statement obtained by the District Attorney's Office, "We are deeply grateful that Officer Romero is still with us and to the prosecution for delivering justice and closure to him and his family."
