by Clara Zhao and Taite Trautwein
Robbery Testimony Continues
By Clara Zhao
On Wednesday, November 1, the jury trial for Joshua Cadenaz-Lopez and Ricky Gomez Hernandez reconvened in Department 14. Both defendants are charged with robbery with multiple enhancements regarding firearm possession and gang affiliations.
Detective Matthew Boudinot, from the West Sacramento Police Department’s Special Investigations Unit, had testified on Tuesday and once again appeared on stand.
While on the stand, Boudinot was presented several People’s exhibits.
In one exhibit, there was a black sweatshirt, red t-shirt, and black glove. Boudinot stated the items were taken from defendant Cadenaz-Lopez.
The DA then asked Boudinot about the incident on October 20, 2016, when Boudinot located defendant Hernandez’s apartment. In his testimony, Boudinot said that they knocked on the door, and upon hearing no answer, performed a search of the room. They found khaki pants, a black sweatshirt, and black gloves in the apartment.
At this point, another People’s exhibit was presented to Boudinot. Inside the bag were khakis and a black shirt, which Boudinot stated were the same clothes found in the defendant’s apartment and the same clothes 
seen in several surveillance footages.
The DA then presented a series of video surveillance footages from various locations.
The first footage showed two individuals entering a convenience store, who were identified by Boudinot to be Hernandez and Cadenaz-Lopez. Hernandez was identified as wearing the same belt that was collected by the police on Oct. 20, 2016, and Cadenaz-Lopez was wearing the same red shirt that police obtained on the same date.
Another video showed two people in black breaking into a store. Boudinot identified Cadenaz-Lopez as one of those men, and he carried a firearm that resembled the one found on Oct. 20.
A third video showed surveillance taken from a robbery at a Denny’s restaurant on Oct. 14. Boudinot identified one of the robbers near the cash register as Cadenaz-Lopez, wearing a similar black sweatshirt as that seen in the People’s exhibits.
Next, the DA showed a video taken at a laundromat. Two people walked by outside the laundromat, and one of them had a ponytail that resembled Hernandez’s.
Several more videos were presented, including one taken at an ampm convenience store. Three individuals entered the store and Boudinot identified Hernandez and Cadenaz-Lopez among them. Cadenaz-Lopez was wearing a black sweatshirt, shorts and yellow gloves, and Hernandez wore white-soled shoes – all were clothing items previously displayed.
Throughout the trial, the deputy public defender objected to Boudinot’s identifications on the grounds of speculation, but was overruled by the judge each time.
At noon, the court adjourned for lunch.
Another Detective Weighs In On Robbery Case
By Taite Trautwein
Wednesday afternoon saw the continued testimony of Detective Matthew Boudinot, a member of the West Sacramento Police Department. Boudinot brought his expert knowledge of gang activity to the case of Ricky Hernandez and Joshua Cadenaz-Lopez. The pair are accused of second-degree robbery with enhancements for firearm possession and gang affiliation.
Over the course of the afternoon, Boudinot was shown multiple pictures of men he views as gang members who have connections to the two defendants.
Firstly, Deputy District Attorney Kyle Hasapes displayed photos of Joel Moreno, a man convicted of intimidating a witness and assault with a gang affiliation enhancement on September 2, 2015. The picture showed the letters “B.R.K.” tattooed on the man’s chest. According to Boudinot, these letters are commonly associated with the Broderick Boys, a branch of the Norteño street gang that operates out of Yolo County.
Boudinot stated that he had been a responding officer to a crime in which the man in the pictures was involved, and claimed that other known members of the Broderick Boys were present as well.
Next, Boudinot was shown similar photos of Michael Reyes, who had been convicted on September 29, 2012, of possession of a concealed firearm in a vehicle, vehicle theft, and marijuana possession for sale.
In these photos, Boudinot pointed to multiple tattoos as indicators of the man’s gang affiliation. Under his left eye was the Aztec symbol for the number fourteen. The right side of his head had the word “East” tattooed across it, with a matching “Yolo” present on the left side. He also had what Boudinot described as a “Budweiser B” tattooed just under his right ear.
Boudinot claimed that all of these symbols were commonly associated with the Broderick Boys.
It was at this point that Hasapes turned his attention to the involvement of Nicholas Lopez, another suspect in the four robberies that took place on October 19.
On the night of the 18th, Lopez was spotted on surveillance footage outside of Nicky’s Market wearing red and associating with other known members of the Broderick Boys.
Additionally, Lopez had been arrested on January 9, 2014, for spray painting graffiti in West Sacramento. Photos of the graffiti showed “B.R.K.”, “X4” and “SK” with the K crossed out, sprawled across various buildings. The SK tag was said to be mocking the Broderick Boys’ rival, the Sureño gang.
Another incident involving Nicholas Lopez was also detailed, this time the result of a traffic stop for which Joshua Cadenaz-Lopez was present as well.
In the car, officers located bullets and a sawed-off rifle. Boudinot stated that the presence of firearms is typical with gang members, as they use them as an instrument for fear.
Hasapes followed up this line of questioning by showing multiple pictures lifted off Nicholas Lopez’s social media. The two photos showed him throwing up the letter “B” with his hands and holding a sizable bag of marijuana.
Additionally, Boudinot was given a sheet of lyrics from a song performed by Lil Abel, a Sacramento rapper that the detective claims has an affiliation with the Broderick Boys. Nicholas Lopez had a verse of the song that Boudinot claimed referenced his neighborhood, guns, and derogatory comments about police officers.
Hasapes then began questioning Boudinot about defendant Ricky Hernandez. Boudinot claimed to have viewed surveillance footage of Hernandez in an interview room telling the man with him not to talk to the police. He also used the phrase “loved ones,” which Boudinot said was common terminology in that world for fellow gang members.
Boudinot also detailed a different set of surveillance footage that showed Hernandez assisting Cadenaz-Lopez in moving items out of a vehicle. In the same footage Hernandez was observed concealing a weapon in his waistband.
More footage showed the defendant driving a blue Honda Accord that belonged to Nicholas Lopez. When that vehicle was later searched by law enforcement, a wide variety of red clothing was found, along with a silver revolver.
Lastly, a cell phone extraction report that was conducted on a phone that the prosecution claims belonged to the defendants was detailed by Boudinot. Boudinot specifically addressed a set of texts that detailed “bonds” and “bylaws.” The detective claimed these were terms for the governing rules of the Norteño street gang.
Additionally, Boudinot was asked to read the name of the contact with which the owner of the phone was communicating. Boudinot read it out as “Lil Abel.”
The trial of Hernandez and Cadenaz-Lopez will resume tomorrow morning at 8:30 a.m.
Come see the Vanguard Event – “In Search of Gideon” – which highlights some of the key work performed by the Yolo County Public Defender’s Office…
