Photo: Ivan Solis, victim
SAN FERNANDO — The allure of gang membership leads to a life of crime. Case in point: The gang-challenge murder of Ivan Solis, 25, who was shot to death at a local park two years ago is sending a gang banger to life in prison.
Solis was shot dead in Santa Clarita Park on July 11, 2017. Los Angeles County District Attorney Prosecutors announced the 60-years-to-life sentence handed down yesterday to Nicholas Colletta (21) of Saugus, who’d issued the deadly gang challenge.
Co-defendant Jacqueline Arreola (26) of Newhall fled the murder scene in a vehicle with the shooter. She pleaded no contest on April 3rd to one count of accessory after the fact.
Case PA089346 was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorneys Adan Montalban and Brenda Lee of the Hardcore Gang Division. “A jury found Nicholas Colletta of Saugus guilty last year of one count each of first-degree murder with the allegation that the crime was committed for the benefit of a criminal street gang, possession of a firearm by a felon with three priors, unlawful possession of ammunition and carrying a loaded firearm,” said PIO Richard Santago.
“Jurors also found true that the defendant personally and intentionally discharged a handgun and caused great bodily injury.”
Arreola testified as a witness in Colletta’s trial. Her sentencing is scheduled for May 20th in Department F of the L. A. County Superior Court, San Fernando Branch.
The case was investigated by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Santa Clarita Station.
