Alexis Candelario-Santana, Mass Shooting, Puerto Rico 2009

Alexis Candelario-Santana, 41, faces life in prison following his conviction of murdering eight people and an unborn child and attempting to murder 19 others during a mass shooting at a Puerto Rico pub in 2009.

The shooting occurred on October 17, 2009, at La Tómbola, a pub in Toa Baja, Puerto Rico. Candelario-Santana, along with co-defendant David Oquendo-Rivas, opened fire on patrons both inside and outside the establishment, resulting in nine deaths and 19 injuries.

Candelario-Santana was convicted of 28 counts of violent crime in aid of racketeering activity, one count of racketeering conspiracy, nine counts of using a firearm in relation to a crime of violence, one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance, and one count of possession of a firearm with a prior conviction.

The counts of conviction on capital murder charges necessitated a separate penalty phase of the trial. That phase began on Monday, March 15, 2003. On Saturday, March 23, 2013, the jury announced it was unable to reach a unanimous sentencing verdict. As a result, a sentence of life in prison will be imposed. There is no parole in the federal system.

Candelario-Santana was the leader of a drug trafficking organization that operated in Sabana Seca, Toa Baja, Puerto Rico. The organization sold crack, cocaine, heroin, and marijuana, and members of the organization routinely possessed firearms to protect the drug points.

Alexis Candelario-Santana, Convictions: 28 counts of violent crime in aid of racketeering activity, one count of racketeering conspiracy, nine counts of using a firearm in relation to a crime of violence, one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance, and one count of possession of a firearm with a prior conviction.

Location: Toa Baja, Puerto Rico.

Date: October 17, 2009.

Sentence: Life in prison.

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