A Kern County man has been sentenced to 35 years to life in prison following a deadly gang-related shooting that claimed one life and injured four others.
Earlier this month, Danny Willis entered a no contest plea to first-degree murder and admitted to a gang enhancement for his role in the killing of 50-year-old Edwin Smith. His co-defendant, Gary Pierson, also pled no contest to two counts of assault with a semi-automatic firearm and admitted a gang allegation. Pierson was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
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The case, prosecuted by Chief Deputy District Attorney Joseph Marcano, stems from a shooting that occurred on September 23, 2017, around 1:40 a.m. at Martini’s Feel Good Lounge on Real Road in Bakersfield. Willis and several members of the West Side Crips encountered a group from east Bakersfield in the parking lot. A confrontation quickly escalated into gunfire, killing Smith and injuring four others.
Roughly two weeks later, Willis allegedly conspired with others to attack a group of mourners at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park, who had gathered to honor Smith. However, officers from the Bakersfield Police Department (BPD) intercepted the group before the attack could take place. The suspects were found armed with loaded firearms.
BPD detectives led the murder investigation, which was part of a broader crackdown on the West Side Crips involving over 300 officers from 20 law enforcement agencies.
Assistant District Attorney Kenneth Russell said,
“We will not tolerate gang violence in our community and will continue the fight to remove dangerous and senseless individuals from our streets. This major operation is a testament of the collaborative efforts to maintain and enhance public safety.”
