Maricopa Man Sentenced to Over 90 Years in Prison for Multiple Aggravated Assaults with Firearms

PHOENIX—Damien Miguel Zepeda, 24, of Maricopa, Ariz., was sentenced here by U.S. District Judge Roslyn O. Silver to 90 years and three months in federal prison. Zepeda was found guilty by a federal jury in October 2009, of one count of conspiracy, one count of assault resulting in serious bodily injury, four counts of using a firearm during a crime of violence and three counts of assault with a dangerous weapon.

The evidence at trial showed that on October 25, 2008, Damien Zepeda and his two brothers and co-defendants, Matthew Zepeda and Jeremy Zepeda, went to a home on the Ak-Chin Indian Reservation. Damien was upset because his former girlfriend was going to get a tattoo on her chest. Damien confronted the former girlfriend and hit her on the head with a gun. The tattoo artist came out of the home and Damien shot him several times. The victim suffered gunshot wounds from a shotgun and pistol and was hospitalized.

Matthew Zepeda pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and possession of a firearm in a crime of violence and was sentenced in January of this year to 75 months in federal prison. Jeremy Zepeda pleaded guilty to misprision of a felony and was sentenced in June 2009, to three years in federal prison.

The investigation in this case was conducted by the Ak-Chin Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution was handled by Sharon K. Sexton and Brian E. Kasprzyk, Assistant U.S. Attorneys, District of Arizona, Phoenix.

CASE NUMBER: CR-08-1329-PHX-ROS

RELEASE NUMBER: 2010-048(Zepeda)