By Özge Terzioğlu
MERCED – Defendant Lorenzo Gonzalez Monday rambled on about what’s been going on in his life in an attempt to convince the judge that he deserves a shorter sentence, and then insisted during his bail review here in Merced County Superior Court that he was being charged with a different penal code section than the judge cited.
During the hearing, the judge listed how Gonzalez has numerous felony convictions, has committed a crime while on community supervision, and is unemployed. Due to those reasons, the judge quickly decided that no modifications to bail would be allowed.
Defendant Gonzalez asked the court if he could speak for a minute. Once granted permission, he claimed he’s “doing good out there.” Gonzalez rambled on: “Man, I understand I slipped and I fell and for a minute. I was doing good but I got caught up in dumb sh**, doing drugs and sh**, man. I’ll admit to the counts, but I want to do two years and eight months [instead of over three years]. I got twins, I gotta get back to them, man.”
His attorney, Deputy Public Defender Kathleen Page, interrupted the defendant and said, “Okay Mr. Gonzalez, that’s enough.”
The judge chuckled at the defendant’s defense of himself.
The district attorney’s office, represented by Gerard Egan, then offered a plea deal to the defendant of 2 years and 8 months jail time, like the defendant desired. He would have to plead no 
contest to Count 1, taking someone else’s vehicle without their permission, and Count 3, evading a police officer (which is a felony). He would also have to serve his time in prison (the CDCR), not the local county jail.
After sighing deeply and looking at his hands, Gonzalez eagerly accepted the offer.
Gonzalez asked the judge which section of the criminal code he’s being charged with violating, and when the judge said it’s PC § 666.5, auto theft with a prior felony conviction of auto theft, the defendant vehemently disagreed.
“I didn’t steal the vehicle, I bought it, but I knew it was stolen, though,” Gonzalez said in defense of himself.
The judge clarified he’s being charged with driving a stolen vehicle, but the defendant further insisted that he should be charged with violating PC § 496, buying or receiving stolen property.
Even after his attorney explained that he’s being charged with violating the 666.5 section because he has a prior felony conviction, Defendant Gonzalez went on to ask if he should be charged with violating PC § 10851 instead, driving someone else’s vehicle without consent and with intent to temporarily deprive them of title or possession of their property.
Finally, after multiple explanations to the defendant of which penal codes he would be charged with violating, the tangential detour ended.
The judge reiterated the counts to Gonzalez. He was charged with Count 1, unlawfully driving someone else’s motorcycle while being previously convicted four times of violating PC § 10851, and Count 3, attempting to evade a police officer who activated their lights to get him to pull over (which violates PC § 2800.2).
Gonzalez pleaded no contest to both counts. Counts 2, 4, and 5 were dismissed.
When the judge asked if the defendant admits that he violated the charges, Defendant Gonzalez candidly answered, “Ain’t nobody trying to admit it, but yeah.”
The judge wanted to make sure Gonzalez would be okay with another judge overseeing his sentencing later in the day, but the defendant got agitated and repeated several times that “[he’s] trying to get sentenced right now man, [he’s] trying to go to jail right now, man.”
He agreed to having another judge oversee his sentencing, but only after making sure he would leave for CDCR later Monday.
Lorenzo Gonzalez will likely serve 3 to 5 years of parole and pay restitution for damages caused as a result of his conduct, after he serves his time in the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
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