Ivan Morales Sentenced to Life in Prison for Attempted Murder and Robbery

Defendant Ivan Morales, 25 years old of Lakeport, was sentenced today by the Honorable Patrick Broderick to six years plus thirty-two years-to-life in state prison. Morales was found guilty by a jury in January of premeditated attempted murder and robbery of a Loomis armored car guard, assault on a peace officer, and driving a stolen vehicle while armed with an assault weapon. Co-defendant Sergey Gutsu was previously convicted and sentenced to 51 years and 4 months-to-life in state prison.

District Attorney Ravitch stated, “This defendant and his accomplice brazenly robbed an individual and discharged a firearm in a crowded shopping center in broad daylight. The jury’s verdict is reflected in the sentence handed down today.”

On July 12, 2016 a Loomis armored truck employee was delivering $30,000 to the Chase Bank in Windsor when Morales and Gutsu drove up in a Suzuki SUV that had been carjacked a few days earlier in Sacramento. Morales got out of the Suzuki with an AK-47 style assault rifle and shot Glenn multiple times. Gutsu then grabbed the bag of money and the defendants fled the scene.

Shortly thereafter, the two defendants were observed in Calistoga by Officer Paniagua of the Calistoga Police Department. Paniagua began to follow the defendants when Gutsu exited out of the driver’s seat of the suburban and began firing at him. While still in the driver’s seat of his patrol car Paniagua stepped on the gas pedal and collided with Gutsu, who was then taken into custody.

Morales once again fled the scene and was apprehended three hours later by members of the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Department following an extensive multi-agency manhunt.

The case was prosecuted by former Deputy District Attorney Chris Honigsberg and Deputy District Attorney Christopher Brown and was assisted by District Attorney Investigator Kris Allen. Detective Joseph Horsman of the Sonoma County Sheriff Department headed the investigation.