Source: District Attorney of Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara County District Attorney Joyce E. Dudley announced today that on September 13, 2018, Fernando Navarro, 19, pled guilty to a felony charge of involuntary manslaughter in connection with the February 3, 2018, death of his brother Leonardo, 13, in Santa Maria, California. Leonardo was killed when Fernando Navarro unintentionally discharged a firearm that he was handling. He also pled guilty to a misdemeanor charge of unlawful firearm activity connected to his possession of a firearm while prohibited from doing so as an express condition of his probation terms.

Navarro will return for sentencing on Oct. 4, 2018, in front of Superior Court Judge John McGregor, in Department 6 of the Santa Maria Superior Court. Pursuant to the plea agreement, it is anticipated that he will be sentenced to a total term of 4 years, 8 months, consisting of 3 years actual local custody followed by 1 year, 8 months of community supervision.