Rolando Aispuro of Victorville pleaded to felony assault with a deadly weapon charge, said his attorney, Brandon Wood.

An additional felony assault with a deadly weapon charge and two prior prison records — for drug-related convictions — were dropped, Wood said. If the case had gone to trial, Aispuro could have faced seven years or more, he added.

"(Aispuro) took a deal to dodge more prison time," Wood said. "He says he's innocent, and hopes the police find the right man. It was a good deal."

Deputy District Attorney Anil Kaushal said he, too, was satisfied with the agreement.

On Aug. 6, two men left a nightclub on Cottonwood Avenue around 3 a.m. and walked to their car, parked in a lot across the street, when a white Ford Escort with four men inside drove by slowly, sheriff's Detective Rick Messersmith said.

The men in the car shouted obscenities at the two men and began to drive away, Messersmith said. When the two men yelled back, the car stopped and the four men got out, Messersmith said.

Aispuro, 26, struck one of the victims and stabbed him in the back and the side, leaving 1-inch puncture wounds, Messersmith said.

Aispuro and Eugene Valenzuela — both identified by Sheriff's Department investigators as East Side Victoria gang members — were arrested shortly thereafter.

Victorville's Valenzuela, 24, pleaded no contest to being an accessory to assault on Oct. 8, and is serving 16 months in prison, Kaushal said.

Aispuro is being held in West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga.



James Ramage may be reached at 951-6242 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..