Court upholds convictions in gang shooting

SAN FRANCISCO >> A California appeals court upheld shooting and gang convictions against a Richmond man allegedly tied to the Deep C gang but opened the door for him to receive a lower sentence.

Todd Gillard, 35, was convicted in 2017 of street terrorism and assault with a firearm, though the jury acquitted him of murder conspiracy charges. In late February, the 1st District Appellate Court upheld the convictions but knocked one year off his sentence and ordered a Contra Costa judge to consider taking off five additional years.

The charges against Gillard stemmed from a carto-car shooting in which he fired from a red Camaro into another car, striking and injuring a man.

Gillard was sentenced to 22 years and eight months in 2018. His case was part of a federal and state investigation into the Richmondbased Deep C gang, which led to more than 20 arrests.

The appeals court rejected Gillard’s claims that his attorney was ineffective and that he should have been able to review the personnel file of an officer who testified against him.

“There was also abundant evidence tying defendant to the shooting,” the appeals court’s 14-page decision says. “The victim positively identified defendant as the front passenger in the car and told officers shortly after the incident that defendant shot him.”

Gillard is serving his sentence in North Kern State Prison. A parole board denied his request for early release last April, but last January he was referred back to the board for potential release as a “nonviolent offender.” That review is still pending, records show.