84 year to life sentence handed in 2018 killing at Sportsman's Lounge

Norwalk-  A Montebello man was sentenced last week to serve 84 years to life in the 2018 shooting death of a man outside the Sportsman's Lounge.

A jury convicted John Gilbert Mendoza, 41,  of three felony counts after a trial that lasted seven days in July and reached a verdict the same day it began deliberations on July 26th.

Last week a sentence of 50 years to life was ordered on a first-degree murder charge in the killing of 30 year-old Adrian Anthony Quesada of Ontario.

Mendoza also received 32 years to life on an attempted murder charge in the shooting of a Pico Rivera woman who was 25 years old at the time. The woman recovered from her injuries.

Two more years were added on the third charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

The shooting occurred early in the morning of February 24, 2018, after Mendoza got into an argument with both victims inside the bar located at 13902 Imperial Hwy.

Mendoza was employed as a security guard, not licensed by the state or permitted to have a gun due to a past felony conviction.

After further arguing occurred in the parking lot, the two victims decided to leave and began to walk to Quesada's car. Mendoza followed the victims and began to fire shots at the two.

The woman collapsed in the parking lot and Quesada, despite being mortally wounded was able to drive about a mile before crashing into a center divider in the 13200 block of Imperial Hwy. Quesada was pronounced dead at the scene.

Mendoza was also hit by rounds fired by Quesada in an apparent attempt at self-defense.

Mendoza will have one more court appearance before being transferred over to the state prison system to serve his sentence. A restitution hearing will be held on November 4th.