A 2nd inmate is sentenced in CO attacks

Fines, restitution and additional prison time

A second Pelican Bay State Prison inmate has been  sentenced in connection with a January assault on three correctional officers.

Omar Cardenas, 20, was sentenced to 10 years additional prison time after pleading guilty to battery on a correctional officer with special allegations of great bodily injury and use of a deadly weapon, another count of battery on a correctional officer and possession of a weapon by a prisoner.

He originally faced 10  felony accounts, including conspiracy to commit murder and two counts of attempted murder.

As part of a plea deal, he was also assessed $5,010 in fines and ordered to pay $33,904 in restitution to the correctional officers for medical expenses and wages lost.

Del Norte County Superior Court Judge William Follett reserved jurisdiction to add more restitution later, if necessary.

On Jan. 11, Cardenas and another inmate, Moses Osuna, 36, were being let out of their cell to go to an exercise yard when they attacked two correctional officers, authorities said.

A third officer tried to stop the assaults and was also injured.

Other officers then responded, quelling the attacks with physical force and batons. Two weapons, one metal and the other plastic, were recovered.

Osuna was sentenced earlier this month to four years and eight months of additional time after pleading guilty to assault with a deadly weapon in prison and possessing a weapon in prison. Osuna originally faced five felony counts, including attempted murder and battery on one of the correctional officer.

He was assessed $2,710 in fines and ordered to pay $12,758 in restitution to the officer for his medical expenses and wages lost.

Both inmates accepted plea deals crafted by deputy District Attorney Lisa Specchio relatively quickly in the judicial process, considering sentencings were carried out at both of their initial plea hearings.

“When you have cases in which there is no question as to the guilt of the accused or our ability to prevail at trial, sometimes you do see these type of dispositions occur with such rapidity,” said District Attorney Jon Alexander.

Fines were the main target when producing the plea deals, “which is consistent with my new policy,” Alexander said.

“There must be some deterrent imposed upon lifer inmates, so they know they do have something to lose when they commit crimes like this,” said Alexander.

Cardenas was already serving 50 years for first-degree murder and Osuna was serving 60 years for carjacking and making terrorist threats.