A preliminary hearing was set on Wednesday for a Santa Barbara rapper accused of attempted murder.
Mario Alberto Hernandez-Pacheco appeared before Judge James Herman in Santa Barbara County Superior Court. He is represented by attorneys Adam Pearlman and J’Aimee Oxton.
Senior Deputy District Attorney Kimberly Siegel is prosecuting the case.
Mr. Hernandez-Pacheco was arrested on Aug. 3, 2018, with two juveniles, on suspicion of attempted murder, robbery and felony assault by means of force likely to produce great bodily injury.
Charging documents allege Mr. Hernandez-Pacheco carried out the crimes for the benefit of the Eastside street gang “with the specific intent to promote, or further, or assist in criminal conduct by gang members.”
He pleaded not guilty to the charges on Aug. 15, 2018.
Judge Herman set the preliminary hearing for 9 a.m. May 16. At the end of that hearing Judge Herman will determine whether evidence is sufficient for Mr. Hernandez-Pacheco to stand trial as charged. It is expected to last most of the court day.
Mr. Hernandez-Pacheco has been rapping under the stage name “Sad Boy Loko” since around 2011 with his first viral music video release “I’m Still Here.” It quickly reached 1 million views on YouTube and has over 2 million today.
In a 2017 interview with DJ Vlad, Mr. Hernandez-Pacheco implied the song describes the story of when he was stabbed during a gang attack. The intro of the song features a sample from a TV news report on the stabbing which occurred on Yanonali Street near Alisos Street.
“In the video it looked like it was kinda raw, it was kinda red,” said DJ Vlad in the interview.
“Let’s just say I cut myself shaving,” laughed Mr. Hernandez-Pacheco.
He signed with Compton rapper YG’s 4Hunnid Records in 2015 and released albums The First Ese in 2016 and My Evil Ways in 2018.
Music videos for his songs “Gang Signs”,”For My Gangstas,” and “Take A Ride,” have also received millions of views.
The “Gang Signs” video features a clip of what appear to be teenage boys making gang signs with heir hands.
Mr. Hernandez-Pacheco remains in County Jail custody.
