Gang member gets 12 years for shooting, brutal beating

SANDUSKY — A Sandusky gang member linked to two potentially deadly incidents in the city last year accepted a plea deal and is now headed to prison.Jonathon Trevino, 19, of the 500 block of Lockwood Ave., received a 12-year prison sentence last week after pleading guilty to felonious assault, participating in a gang and aggravated robbery.Trevino not only unleashed a brutal beating on a 16-year-old boy at a local hotel — he was also the gunman in a shooting on High Street.In exchange for Trevino pleading guilty, prosecutors dropped six counts of attempted murder that had been leveled against him by a grand jury. They also tossed out additional counts of felonious assault, gang participation, and a weapons offense.Trevino is now being held at the Erie County jail, but will soon be transferred to a state prison.According to police, he played a major role in two significant gang-related incidents in 2015:* On July 17, Trevino and a group of fellow gang members approached a car that was parked on High Street, in which a woman and a 19-year-old man were sitting and talking.Trevino's intended target was the 19-year-old man, and he fired off a total of nine rounds at the vehicle. One of his bullets nearly struck the woman, but both she and the man managed to escape without injury. * On Oct. 3, Trevino and another alleged gang member severely beat a 16-year-old boy inside the Best Budget Inn on Cleveland Road following a hotel party.They robbed the teen of cash and left him with a broken jaw, extremely swollen face, multiple teeth knocked out, and lacerations and bruising on his face and body.Charges for other gang membersTrevino is not the only member of his gang facing prosecution for last year's crimes.An Erie County grand jury in April indicted two more juvenile members of the group, and they are now being tried as adults for the incidents:* Tavio Watson, 17, of the 1400 block of Dixon Drive, was allegedly with Trevino during the High Street shooting.Sandusky police Detective Ken Nixon said Watson was standing next to Trevino, and reportedly egged him on, encouraging him to fire at the vehicle.Watson is now facing four counts of complicity to attempted murder, two counts complicity to felonious assault, and one count each of participating in a gang, and inciting to violence.He's already been arraigned, and is now scheduled for a hearing May 18 before Erie County Common Pleas Court Judge Tygh Tone.•Kenneth Wirsche Jr., 16, of the 500 block of Decatur St., was allegedly with Trevino during the October hotel beating.Wirsche and Trevino both beat the boy that night, according to police.He was indicted last month on two counts attempted murder, and one count each of felonious assault, aggravated robbery and participating in a gang.Wirsche has also been arraigned, and is now awaiting a May 25 hearing before Judge Tone.