Hernandez-Pacheco will serve 3 years in state prison
By PAUL GONZALEZ
NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
Santa Barbara rapper Sad Boy Loko was sentenced to three years in state prison last week.
On Nov. 18, 2019, Sad Boy, whose real name is Mario Alberto Hernandez-Pacheco, pleaded no contest to assault by means of force likely to produce great bodily injury and a street terrorism gang charge. He was ordered to register as a gang member.
According to court records, Mr. Hernandez-Pacheco appeared for sentencing before Judge James Herman in Santa Barbara County Superior Court on Jan. 15.
Testimony from Mr. Hernandez- Pacheco’s preliminary hearing alleged he participated in a group attack on the victim when the victim threatened to contact law enforcement after a botched drug deal at the Cacique Footbridge. The incident occurred in the early morning hours of July 23, 2018.
Santa Barbara Police Department Detective Ryan Aijian testified the victim claimed he took one of Mr. Hernandez-Pacheco’s associates, who he suspected was an Eastside gang member, to his car to sell him marijuana. When they got to the car the man brandished a knife and took the backpack, testified Det. Aijian. The victim said the backpack contained marijuana, ecstasy, psychedelic mushrooms and acid.
Det. Aijian testified when the victim threatened to contact law enforcement, the group attacked him.
The victim said he attempted to fight back with a replica BB gun dropped by one of his attackers, but he was disarmed and struck with the gun, testified Det. Aijian.
During the scuffle the victim suffered a 15-centimeter stab wound to the top of his head, a fractured skull, a stab wound to his shoulder and bruises over his chest and arms.
Mr. Hernandez-Pacheco’s arrest on Aug. 3, 2018 derailed his budding rap career as Sad Boy Loko.
His first viral music video was the 2011 release was “I’m Still Here.” It quickly reached 1 million views on YouTube and has more than 2 million today.
Music videos for his songs “Gang Signs”, “For My Gangstas,” and “Take A Ride,” also have received millions of views and he was featured on YG’s 2016 track Blacks & Browns.
Two juveniles charged in the case were adjudicated in juvenile court last year, before Mr. Hernandez-Pacheco entered his plea.
email: pgonzalez@newspress.com
