Gang Member Gets 50 Years for Murders on Indian Land by Toppenish

A 29-year-old man will spend five decades total in prison for two 2017 murders.

Man accused victim of being a traitor to a gang

According to the US Attorney's Office for Eastern WA:

"July 19, 2017, around 3:15 a.m., Jaime Herrera, who is a Sureno gang member and not affiliated with the Yakama Nation, was driving his SUV and pulled up alongside two men walking on the road between Garfield Elementary School and Garfield Park, in Toppenish, Washington, within the external boundaries of the Yakama Nation Indian Reservation. Herrera accused the pair of being traitors to the gang, pulled out a rifle and killed one of the men – an enrolled member of the Yakama Nation. The second man – who survived the shooting – is an enrolled member of the Nez Perce Tribe."

According to authorities, while this murder was being investigated he committed a second murder, arranging an ambush and then shooting the victim. He was identified and arrested, tried and given a 240 month sentence. According to the US Attorney's Office, Herrera was given a long sentence:

"(a)360-month imprisonment to be followed by 5 years of supervised release. Judge Dimke imposed the 360-month sentence to run consecutively to a 240-month sentence for another murder Herrera committed in Yakima County. Herrera will serve a total of 600 months – or 50 years – in prison."

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Herrera had pleaded guilty to the two counts previously.

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