LONG BEACH — 53-year-old Philip Lester Vargas was sentenced on Wednesday to 14 years in state prison after being found guilty of voluntary manslaughter.
On May 30, 2015, Vargas got into an argument with his friend, 36-year-old Kustanya Sugrao Buckhalter and, in the course of the argument, stabbed the victim, who subsequently died as a result of his injuries.
This incident occurred in the 100 block of Pacific Avenue in Long Beach.
Vargas was found guilty by a jury on March 23 of this year in a case prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Karen Brako.
The jury also found a special allegation that Vargas used a deadly weapon (a knife) in the commission of this crime.
Vargas had previously been convicted of second-degree commercial burglary and forgery in 2005, and using tear gas in 2011.
