Guilty verdict in 2019 slaying of El Dorado Deputy Brian Ishmael at marijuana grow site Read more at: https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/crime/article260455332.html#storylink=cpy

A jury in Placerville on Friday convicted a man of second-degree murder in the shooting death of El Dorado County Sheriff’s Deputy Brian Ishmael, who was killed in October 2019 responding to a bogus call about the theft of marijuana plants from an illegal grow site near Somerset. Juan Carlos Vasquez-Orozco, 22, who authorities say had been in the United States from Mexico illegally, also was convicted of assault with a firearm on three other deputies.

Ishmael, the 37-year-old father of three, was responding to a midnight 911 call from property owner Christopher Garry Ross, who told authorities he saw people in his marijuana grow and thought they were stealing his plants.

In reality, authorities say, Ross was renting out his property as a grow site for $13,000 and knew it was being tended by Vazquez and another man. Officials have said Ross called 911 because he believed the men paying Vazquez and another man planned to take the plants without paying him $3,000 they still owed.

"In reality, authorities say, Ross was renting out his property as a grow site for $13,000 and knew it was being tended by Vazquez and another man. Officials have said Ross called 911 because he believed the men paying Vazquez and another man planned to take the plants without paying him $3,000 they still owed."

I remember listening to an interview with Willie Sutton after he "retired" from bank robbing. One of the keys to his "success" was that everyone in his operation got the same amount of money, e.g. the driver got the same amount on stolen money as Willie received. His reasoning was that no matter their involvement they all had the same risks and it reduced jealousy. He also respected his "gang members," so it was relatively easy to recruit the best in the business. He made a point of saying that when it all comes down to it, running a successful bank robbing enterprise was just like running a business: plan well, hire the right people, respect your personnel, and ensure everyone is rewarded.

The other "Slick Willie", Willie Sutton. 🙂

BTW, he never killed anyone in all of his robberies. While he carried a gun, or a Thompson submachine gun, it was never loaded. As he didn't want anyone to get hurt. 🙂

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