Feds say catalytic converter shooting suspect was in country illegally

A suspect arrested earlier this month in connection with a fatal shooting during a catalytic converter theft in Inglewood is now facing federal charges for allegedly illegally reentering the United States after being deported.

Jose Cristian Saravia-Sanchez, 30, of El Salvador, was charged this week with being in the U.S. illegally and unlawful possession of a firearm, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles announced Friday.

According to a federal criminal complaint, Saravia-Sanchez was previously arrested by Border Patrol agents in Texas on June 13, 2013, and ordered removed back to El Salvador.

Juan “Johnny” Sanchez, 48, was shot in the 1000 block of North Chester Avenue in Inglewood around 3:22 a.m. on Feb. 25. He was trying to prevent two men from stealing a neighbor’s catalytic converter when one of them shot him in the chest, police said.

(Carlos Guzman)

Federal authorities said that Saravia-Sanchez eventually made his way back north across the border.

Saravia-Sanchez served 242 days in jail for taking a vehicle without the owner’s consent, after a May 2023 felony conviction in L.A. Superior Court, according to the federal complaint.

Homicide detectives with the Inglewood Police Department arrested Saravia-Sanchez and Wilver Alberto Rabanales earlier this month, in connection to the Feb. 25 murder of Juan “Johnny” Sanchez, 48. Sanchez was trying to prevent two men from stealing a neighbor’s catalytic converter when one of them shot him in the chest, police said.

The suspects were captured on surveillance camera fleeing in a gold Toyota Camry with tinted windows and a sunroof. Police tracked them down inside a room at the Bell Manor Motel. Inglewood police ordered them to exit shortly before 10 p.m. on March 6, according to the complaint. Rabanales surrendered but federal authorities said Saravia-Sanchez engaged in an hours-long standoff.

Family members of Juan Sanchez set up a memorial at the site where he was murdered.

(KTLA)

Officers used a chemical irritant to force him out of the motel room, according to the complaint. Inside, authorities said they found a Ruger .380-caliber pistol in a bathroom trash can.

The family of the shooting victim, Juan Sanchez, described him as “a devoted husband, a loving father, a proud grandfather, and a cherished friend to so many” in a GoFundMe campaign, which had raised more than $44,500 as of Friday.

“He was the kind of person who always put others before himself, offering a helping hand, a listening ear, or a smile that could brighten even the darkest days,” the post states. “His strength, wisdom, and generosity were the foundation of his family, and his loss leaves a void that can never be filled.”

Federal prosecutors also announced charges against 15 other people who allegedly illegally reentered the U.S. Many of those charged were previously convicted of felony offenses before they were removed from the U.S., according to the U.S. attorney’s office.

Being found in the U.S. after removal carries a sentence of up to two years in prison, according to federal authorities. Those removed after being convicted of a felony face up to 10 years and if removed after being convicted of an aggravated felony, up to 20 years.

Times staff writer Clara Harter contributed to this report.