A gang member lured a Kennewick teen to robbery. Now he’s going to prison for murder

A 19-year-old Kennewick man will spend the next 13 years in prison for his role in killing a teen in a robbery-turned-murder.

Jacob A. Young pleaded guilty to second-degree murder for his role in the murder of 17-year-old Ricardo Rivera.

Young, then 18, was part of a group of four teens who lured Rivera to a West Kennewick neighborhood with plans to rob him. One of the men shot Rivera and killed him.

He faced a sentencing range between 10 and about 18 years in prison when he was sentenced.

Prosecutors asked for a 13-year sentence. Chief Deputy Prosecutor Julie Long pointed out in court documents that while there were four teens involved, only one had a gun.

“The state would have to show the defendant was an active participant and was aware the conduct that was going to occur,” Long said in an explanation of the sentence.

It was possible that a jury might not find the state had proven the crime because of that, so prosecutors agreed to the change in the charge and the sentence recommendation.

Family members agreed to the lesser charge, but wanted a longer prison sentence, Long said.

Judge Norma Rodriguez agreed with the prosecutor and sentenced Young to the slightly more than 13-year prison sentence.

Young’s three other co-defendants including his brother Jacquez Young, 16, and brothers Vontell Wesson, 17, and Syntrell Wesson, 16, continue to face charges of first-degree murder. All three are now facing adult charges.

Jacquez Young and Syntrell Wesson, who were both 15 at the time, were initially charged as juveniles. Judges agreed to move their cases to adult court.

Planned a robbery

The Youngs and Wessons allegedly hatched a plot to rob Rivera. At first they aimed for a Pasco neighborhood, but they rescheduled it for the west Kennewick neighborhood on April 28, 2022.

Jacob Young used the name “Dontae100” on the SnapChat messenger app to set up a meeting to drop off a gram of marijuana oil, worth about $25.

He was met by the group and a witness saw him struggling with them outside of his car. At that point, one of the teens allegedly shot him.

They allegedly grabbed about $5,000 in cash that he had brought with him before running away.

All four teens had ties to the Gangster Disciples and were part of a group of gang members who called themselves the “Blitz Crew,” according to court documents.

While not an official gang, the group drew members from the Gangster Disciples and the Crips, police have said.