Illegal Immigrant Sentenced to Prison, Deportation for Shooting

An illegal immigrant who shot his estranged wife in Temecula was sentenced to nine years in prison.

Jose De Jesus Cardon Alcala, 39, pleaded guilty last month to one count of attempted voluntary manslaughter and using a firearm during a felony when he shot then-43-year-old Marta De Ochoa, his estranged wife.

Ochoa underwent surgery and survived. Alcala was also ordered to pay $49,189 to the victim in restitution and is set to be deported after serving his sentence.

Alcala pleaded not guilty initially and was scheduled to go on trial on charges of attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, spousal abuse, burglary with multiple gun and great bodily injury allegations and kidnapping, though the kidnapping charge was dropped for lack of evidence during a pretrial hearing.

The attack happened on Aug. 23, 2008, at the victim’s home in the 43100 block of Corte Cabrera.

Alcala drove to the victim’s home because a friend called him on the telephone and said his wife was engaging in sexual behavior in view of their young daughter, according to an attorney.

Alcala broke into the home before dawn and got in an argument with the victim and several other people, attorneys said. Then he shot Ochoa in the stomach, grabbed their daughter and fled to a relative’s home in Rosamond in Kern County, according to sheriff’s officials.

An Amber Alert was broadcast, and Kern County sheriff’s deputies found Alcala soon after eating at a fast food restaurant. He went peacefully when they arrested him, sheriff’s officials said.

City News Service contributed to this report.