The following is a press release issued by the Mendocino County District Attorney’s Office:
As anticipated, defendant Matias Tomas Vietto, age 22, of Argentina, was sentenced to state prison Friday morning for a term of five years. Vietto had worked in the Boonville area for five months as a field laborer while traveling in the United States on a tourist visa.
Vietto was previously convicted by plea of robbery in the second degree and personally using a firearm in the course of the robbery.
On December 9, 2022, Vietto robbed the Mi Esperanza Market in Boonville at gunpoint and stole $17,000 in cash before fleeing the area.
During the investigation, it was determined Vietto went south after the robbery and stayed in a hotel in San Francisco before boarding an Alaska Airlines flight at SFO heading for New York City. In New York, he was intending to board an international flight at JFK for Argentina but was intercepted and arrested by the New York Port Authority Police Department.
As part of the plea and sentence negotiations, the defendant’s parents in Argentina wired full restitution to Mendocino County to cover the loss of the market owners.
While being interviewed by Probation, the defendant reported that the robbery was due to his cocaine addiction. While he had engaged in substance abuse treatment two years earlier, Vietto said the cocaine in the United States is more potent than what he had experienced in Argentina. He claimed to have relapsed in Anderson Valley ten days prior to the robbery.
In a written statement to the court, the owners of Mi Esperanza said the following:
“This was a very traumatic event for us that changed our lives forever. It left us fearful and worried, but we are trying our best to move past this. We must continue working, as our livelihood and our family’s livelihood depends on it.
Though we will never be able to completely forget this incident, we are slowing working towards gaining back our overall sense of security and trust.
We send our heartfelt thank you to the law enforcement agencies that investigated this crime, the Sheriff’s Office, the District Attorney’s Office, the Court, Probation, the interpreters, and all those who have assisted us throughout the pendency of this case.
As victims, we felt that everyone prioritized our safety and best interests. Although this robbery had a significant impact on our lives, the work of law enforcement had an even greater impact.
We were highly impressed with the hard work and professionalism the law enforcement officials demonstrated throughout this investigation and how diligently they work to protect society as a whole.”
The prosecutor who handled the case from charging through sentencing was Assistant DA Dale P. Trigg.
Mendocino County Superior Court Judge Victoria Shanahan imposed the stipulated state prison sentence late Friday morning.
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Life going down just like Argentina’s economy
Well glad his parents could bail him out one more time! Why not make him figure out how to pay it back. That right there is what’s wrong with our society! Now he gets five years he will be out in less than that cause Gavin Newsom doesn’t want him in prison he takes up room. He will be back on the street to do it all again. When will people wake up and see what’s really happening?? Now this family in boonville has to deal with the uncertainty of what will happen daily. Prayers to them for healing! This world is a mess and nobody seems to care!
Not being a citizen with a felony conviction, one would think he would be deported back to Argentina.
A little over $3,000 a year not bad. Hopefully he signs up for Social Security next. Why don’t all the rest of the countries print more money so their as rich as the United States?
I have so many questions.. on a tourist visa, you are not allowed to get employment correct? Also we know what kind of field labor we’re talking about right? Marijuana? & last, will he get his visa revoked & deported as a felon? I personally know so many people trying to apply for a tourist visa the correct way & keep getting denied. This sucks
It is interesting to see how in some cases Local courts and law enforcement drop the ball & in other cases they handle things quite well. “They pick & choose who gets let off.”
That is a quote from a deputy I know.
Hopefully he starts rapping