Greenfield man accused of murder while 17 years old to be tried as an adult

By Felix Cortez

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    GREENFIELD, California (KSBW) — A Greenfield teen who was a minor when he allegedly killed someone is now facing life in prison after he was ordered to stand trial as an adult.

Jonathan Rojas was 17 years old when he allegedly went on a shooting spree in Greenfield, leaving one dead and another seriously injured.

The crimes were so serious that prosecutors petitioned to have his criminal case transferred to adult court, and on Tuesday, a judge agreed.

“Which means that the judge found that he was not amenable to treatment in the juvenile court system, that he couldn’t be rehabilitated there, and that these charges need to go to trial in adult court,” said Berkley Brannon, chief assistant district attorney for Monterey county.

The superior court decision drastically raises the stakes for Rojas. Had he been convicted in juvenile court, that system would only have jurisdiction over Rojas until age 25.

“The system just isn’t set up to deal with 18-year-olds who need to serve, you know, some period of time away from society so they won’t murder again,” Brannon said.

Rojas, who is now 19, could be looking at 50 years to life if convicted on a slew of felony charges that include murder, attempted murder, shooting at a home and occupied car; all for the benefit of a street gang, according to the criminal complaint.

Prosecutors say they seek to transfer juvenile cases to adult court only in the most egregious cases.

“For us, public safety protection of the public has to take precedence and these decisions are made with that in mind,” Brannon said.

Monterey County prosecutors say 10 more juvenile cases are either pending a transfer hearing or pending the court’s decision and they all involve murder.

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