Petaluma man pleads no contest in Santa Rosa restaurant slaying

One of three men charged in a slaying outside a Santa Rosa restaurant has pleaded no contest to being an accessory after the fact and faces up to three years in jail.

Daniel Calderon-Escobido, 23, of Petaluma admitted receiving the gun after the shooting of Christopher Ochoa, also 23 of Santa Rosa, at El Puente Cantina on Dec. 3.

His lawyer, Walter Rubenstein, said Calderon-Escobido does not have to testify against his co-defendants, Jose Campos-Mendoza, 17, and Alfonso Mendoza Ramirez, 18, both of Santa Rosa.

Calderon-Escobido will be sentenced Feb. 6 before Judge Dana Simonds.

Campos-Mendoza and Ramirez, both charged with murder, are expected to enter pleas Wednesday before Judge Ken Gnoss.

Campos-Mendoza is suspected of shooting Ochoa after a late-night argument at the cantina that arose from bad blood among groups of acquaintances.

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