Reedley man agrees to plea deal for killing 15-year-old and avoids lengthy prison sentence
A 22-year-old Reedley man, accused of gunning down a 15-year-old boy on July 3 last year, has agreed to a plea deal that will send him to prison for 22 years.
The defendant, Luis Nolasco, was charged with the murder of Alan Herrera and was facing life in prison had the case gone to trial and he was convicted.
Police said Herrera was riding his bicycle home at about 9:30 p.m. when he was shot multiple times outside an apartment complex on 11th Street near Myrtle Avenue in Reedley.
Herrera was taken to Adventist Hospital where he died a short-time later.
Nolasco’s preliminary hearing was expected to be held Thursday, but some last minute negotiating by prosecutor Ismail Aliyev and defense attorney Curtis Sok produced a deal.
Nolasco pleaded no contest to voluntary manslaughter.
“I think this is a fair resolution,” Sok said after the hearing.
Sok said his client is eligible for the state’s youthful offender program that gives inmates under the age of 25 the chance for parole after serving 15 years of their sentence.
Relatives of Herrera were also present during Thursday’s hearing, but chose not to speak. Aliyev said they will return on Nov. 2 when Nolasco is expected to be sentenced.
