MARYSVILLE —
Five teenagers who have garnered national media attention are in serious legal trouble.
The teens are accused of terrorizing a Marysville Savemart store in February, allegedly throwing up gang signs, screaming, and breaking merchandise.
Yuba County District Attorney Patrick McGrath wants to send them a message. His office is charging four of the five teenagers with a crime that could get them life in prison.
“We can make a point with these minors that this type of behavior isn’t going to be tolerated” McGrath told FOX40 Friday.
Police say the kids tried to shoplift at the store, and the staff caught them and asked them to leave.
A few days later, investigators say the teens returned, this time to allegedly ransack the store.
The event sent Richard Sawyer, a 65-year-old Vietnam veteran, to the hospital.
“When I turned to go to the meat counter I slipped, went down violently and broke the elbow,” Sawyer told FOX40.
Sawyer added that he isn’t sure what a just punishment would be, but says he supports the DA’s decision, a better solution than the one Sawyer came up with himself.
“In my head, let me take a bat and break their elbows. Let them go through what I’m going through.” sawyer told FOX40.
McGrath tells FOX40 he does not intend to send the teenagers to prison for life. Instead, his goal is for them to get 14-years-to-life.
The one felony charge that could put them away for life is intimidating a witness (in this case, Savemart employees) for gang purposes.
