Defendant, 36, pleads no contest to firearm assault charges, gets three years

Santiago C. Garnica will be sentenced at 8:30 a.m. Aug. 11 in Department 11 in the Justice Center

A 36-year-old man initially charged with a January carjacking, assault with a deadly weapon and being a felon in possession of a firearm has pleaded no contest to two assault charges and will be sentenced in the coming weeks in Department 11 in the Justice Center in Fairfield.

Santiago Castaneda Garnica, who appeared in court Thursday, heard Judge Francisca P. Tisher accept his no-contest plea to two counts of assault with a deadly weapon or by force likely to produce great bodily injury.

By entering his no-contest plea, Garnica did not admit guilt but was essentially stating that he would offer no defense.

The judge immediately found him guilty and, as part of a plea deal, Garnica will receive three years in state prison when sentenced at 8:30 a.m. Aug. 11.

Court records show that Garnica, who required a Spanish interpreter during the morning proceeding, also admitted to the enhancement of using a firearm during the assault. All other counts were dismissed.

The case was referred to the Solano County Probation Department for a presentencing report.

Garnica initially was charged with several more felonies other than carjacking, the assaults, and the firearm possession allegation.

His plea came on the day he and his attorney, Deputy Public Defender Jeannette Garcia, were in court for a trial management conference and four days before his jury trial was to begin.

During the morning session, Garnica waived his rights, then Pendergast ordered a firearms check and vacated the July 18 trial date.

Deputy District Attorney Becky Self led the prosecution.

Court records show Garnica, who remains in custody at the Claybank Detention Facility in Fairfield, his bail set at $690,000, initially faced one count of carjacking; three counts of assault with a firearm; one count of assault with a deadly weapon; two counts of making criminal threats; one count of unlawful firearm activity; and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

A search of court documents in February did not clarify when and where exactly Garnica committed the alleged felonies, but the arresting agency was listed as the Fairfield Police Department and the Solano County District Attorney's Office filed its complaint on Jan. 13.

Jail records also show that Garnica also is being held on a “detainer hold” for a Jan. 5 arrest at Sacramento County Jail.