VENTURA, California – District Attorney Gregory D. Totten announced today that yesterday, Herbert Alvarenga (DOB 02/21/1982), of Simi Valley, was sentenced to a term of 26 years 4 months in state prison. In September, a jury found Alvarenga guilty of nine separate counts including attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, the active participation in a criminal street gang, residential burglary, the use and possession of tear gas, infliction of injury upon a child, battery, and failure to appear at trial. Alvarenga was an active member of the varrio criminal street gang in the city of Simi Valley.

In May 2014, during his first trial on the charges, Alvarenga bailed out of custody and absconded during jury selection. Several months later, he was captured by Simi Valley police officers after investigators from the District Attorney’s Office discovered his whereabouts.

In September 2016, during his second trial, witnesses testified that in June 2013, Alvarenga broke into the residence of his estranged wife’s house and pepper-sprayed the occupants. Three months later, Alvarenga and his brother, Fernando Alvarenga, attacked Fernando Medina at an apartment complex in Simi Valley, using a knife and baseball bat to stab and strike Medina several times. After emergency surgery at Los Robles Hospital, Medina survived.