Francisco Jose Arellano, 33, of Chula Vista, was sentenced Oct. 17 to 18 years in prison after pleading guilty to voluntary manslaughter in the beating and stabbing death of an intoxicated man.
Arellano didn’t say anything before San Diego Superior Court Judge Jeff Fraser sentenced him for the Sept. 30, 2012, death of Michael “Gabe” Hallmann, 34, who was found by a neighbor next to a fence in the 5000 block of Sterling Court in San Diego.
This is Arellano’s second conviction for voluntary manslaughter; his first once occurred in 2000. Arellano was the getaway driver in June 1999 when three other men shot Juan Soto to death in Escondido, according to court records.
The other men were charged with murder following Soto’s death after a party. Arellano was sentenced to 11 years in prison in Vista Superior Court. His prior record added to the 18-year sentence he received on Friday.
Michael Vincent Reyes, 31, of El Cajon, was also sentenced to 18 years; he also pleaded guilty to manslaughter. A bandana was found with Reyes’ DNA and Hallmann’s blood on it at the scene. A black baseball cap was found with Arellano’s DNA.
Arellano’s probation report said he and Reyes were called nine times between 3 and 5 a.m. by Nicole Anna Ibarra, 37, who asked for their help in dealing with an intoxicated Hallmann, whom she did not know. An acquaintance of Hallmann’s brought him to Ibarra’s house and the acquaintance passed out from intoxication.
Ibarra, also known as Nicole Olmos, received three years in prison after pleading guilty to voluntary manslaughter.
The prosecutor said Ibarra set up the situation by calling Arellano and Reyes to her home. Her porch was stained with Hallmann’s blood, and a neighbor told police he could hear Ibarra crying loudly in the early morning hours.
Fraser ordered the trio to pay $5,570 for Hallmann’s funeral and other costs. Arellano and Reyes were both fined $3,824 and Ibarra was fined $1,124. They were all given credit for approximately 700 days in jail.
Both Arellano and Reyes will have to serve 85 percent of their term, which is 15 years. Reyes has been convicted for robbery and felony assault.
