A probationer and another man involved in a deadly attack arising from a dispute in Moreno Valley were both sentenced Monday to terms in state prison.
Adam Melvin Carl, 30, and Ruben Alexander Puentes, 29, both of Moreno Valley, pleaded guilty last month to felony charges under pretrial agreements with the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office.
Carl admitted voluntary manslaughter and a sentence-enhancing gun use allegation, while Puentes admitted a single count of assault with a deadly weapon resulting in great bodily injury. In exchange for their admissions, prosecutors dropped several related charges against both men.
During a hearing at the Riverside Hall of Justice Monday, Superior Court Judge Dwight Moore certified the terms of the defendants’ plea agreements, sentencing Carl to 10 years in state prison and imposing a two-year term on Puentes.
They killed 45-year-old Ralph Ortega on the night of Nov. 1, 2024.
According to sheriff’s Sgt. Alberto Loureiro, the defendants were involved in an unspecified dispute with Ortega in the 24000 block of Dracaea Avenue, near Heacock Street.
During the confrontation, Carl pulled a pistol and opened fire, striking the victim several times, according to Loureiro and court documents.
The defendants fled the location immediately after the gunfire.
Loureiro said paramedics reached the location minutes later and found Ortega in grave condition. He was taken to nearby Riverside University Medical Center, where he died a short time later.
The exact reasons yielding the conflict between the men were not disclosed.
Central Homicide Unit detectives spent the ensuing six months amassing evidence that ultimately pointed to the defendants as the perpetrators. Both were taken into custody without incident last June.
Court records indicated Carl had prior convictions for assault resulting in great bodily injury, assault with a deadly weapon and driving without a license. Puentes had no documented prior felonies in Riverside County.