A Kern County jury convicted Gabriel Prieto on June 8, 2026, of first-degree murder and robbery in the July 2024 killing of Emanuel Gonzalez, a 21-year-old Lamont, California resident [1][2]. Prosecutors proceeded under a felony murder theory, arguing that Prieto killed Gonzalez during the commission of a robbery [3]. Jurors also returned a true finding on the special circumstance allegation that the murder occurred during a robbery, an enhancement that eliminates parole eligibility under California law [1][2].
The trial was structured as a dual-jury proceeding, with a separate jury simultaneously considering charges against co-defendant Narvaez in connection with the same killing [1][3]. Prosecutors coordinated the parallel proceedings to manage overlapping evidence while preserving each defendant's right to a separate jury [3]. Both juries returned guilty verdicts on the murder and robbery counts [1].
Prieto is scheduled for sentencing before Judge Charles Brehmer on June 22, 2026 [1][2]. Because the special-circumstance finding was sustained, Prieto faces life in prison without the possibility of parole [2]. No post-trial motions or appeal filings were reported as of the verdict date.