SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS RADIO) – A Northern California man who pleaded guilty in February to murdering a federal security officer outside of the Oakland federal building will spend more than four decades in prison.
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The murder happened as protests against police brutality took place nearby two years ago.
U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers sentenced 33-year-old Santa Cruz County resident Steven Carrillo – the alleged member of the "boogaloo" extremist movement and former Air Force sergeant – on Friday to 41 years in prison and a lifetime under supervised release.
Carrillo agreed to a plea deal in February in which prosecutors said they would not seek the death penalty.
Carrillo admitted in February to shooting and killing David Patrick Underwood, and attempting to murder his colleague, as they stood outside of the Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building as hundreds protested in Oakland in the days after a white Minneapolis police officer murdered George Floyd, a Black man.
He shot at the officers about 19 times, according to federal prosecutors.
"Today's sentence allows Carrillo to contemplate behind bars for more than 40 years his criminal conduct and the pain that the victims and their families must endure," Stephanie Hinds, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California, said in a statement to KCBS Radio on Friday. "We remain laser focused on bringing to justice all those who commit violent crimes in violation of federal law."
A day before the May 29, 2020 killing, Carrillo wrote on Facebook, "Anyone down to boog?" Carrillo admitted in February he aligned himself with the loosely organized anti-government movement, which experts say believes in an impending second civil war in the U.S.
He wrote on the platform the day of the killing, "Go to the riots and support our own cause. Show them the real targets. Use their anger to fuel our fire. Think outside the box. We have mobs of angry people to use to our advantage."
Robert Justus, a Millbrae resident who allegedly drove the van as Carrillo fired at the two officers, is facing murder and attempted murder charges stemming from the killings. The two men allegedly met at the San Leandro BART station, where Justus picked Carrillo up.
Santa Cruz County authorities arrested Carrillo two years ago on June 6, alleging his involvement in the killing of a sheriff's deputy during an ambush on his property earlier that day.
He then entered federal custody and was indicted 19 days later.
Carrillo pleaded not guilty in August 2020 to a number of felony charges, including murder and attempted murder, in the sheriff's deputy's killing.
It's not clear when he will next appear in Santa Cruz County court.
He is due back in federal court on Sept. 1, when Judge Gonzalez Rogers will consider victims’ restitution claims.
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