VENTURA, CA - District Attorney Gregory D. Totten announced today the conviction of Joe Fidel Flores (DOB 04/23/1980), of Santa Paula, for the 2003 murder of Samuel Travis Reeves, age 15. The jury found Flores guilty of first-degree murder and also found true the special circumstance allegation and other special allegations regarding the use of a gun and that the murder was committed to further the activities of the “Bad Boyz” criminal street gang.

Samuel Reeves had no association with any type of gang. On October 11, 2003, he and two of his brothers attended a large party just outside the Santa Paula city limits. The defendant also went to the party, with a gun and several fellow gang members. A fight broke out and the defendant decided to jump in, still with his gun. During the fight, the defendant was punched hard enough to cause his nose to bleed, which happened in front of his gang. The defendant then pulled his gun and shot unarmed 15-year-old Sam Reeves at near-contact range, killing him.

Sentencing for Flores is scheduled May 18, 2012, at 8:30 a.m. in Division 25. Flores faces a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.