Chatsworth Teen Pleads Guilty in Drive-By Paint-Ball Attacks

An 18-year-old from Chatsworth pleaded guilty Friday to drive-by attacks with a paint-ball gun on victims picked at random--videotaping their pained reactions for replay amusement later--and was sentenced to two years in state prison under a plea-bargain.

Ruffy Flores, who faced up to eight years if convicted by a jury on the charges of assault with a deadly weapon and felony vandalism, will probably be released after serving about eight months, prosecutors said.

The videotape made by Flores and three friends captured them firing paint-balls at pedestrians, bicyclists and transients from a passing car, and the assailants’ laughter at the victims’ shocked contortions as the pellets struck. The videotape, found by police in their car when they were arrested, has been shown repeatedly on TV newscasts nationwide.

Flores will receive about eight months’ credit on his sentence for time spent in jail since his arrest, and may expect another eight months’ credit for good behavior in prison, prosecutors said.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Robert Cohen described Flores as the least culpable of the four defendants because he did not actually fire any paint-ball shots--he took the videotape instead--and said Flores “seems to be truly remorseful.”

But Cohen would not say what sentences he expects for the remaining three defendants--Malcolm Boyd and Anthony Skoblar, both 19, and a 17-year-old--who are all also seeking plea agreements.

Their attorneys met in chambers Friday with Superior Court Judge Sandy Kriegler, but no additional agreements were reached and Kriegler gave them all a one-week deadline to reach agreements with prosecutors or go to trial.

“I think we’d all like to reach an agreement if possible,” said Boyd’s attorney, Leonard Levine, adding that there is “no defense” for what the defendants did, and that his client has accepted responsibility for his actions. Boyd has also visited the Simon Wiesenthal Center Museum of Tolerance and had himself shot with paint-balls to see what it feels like, Levine said.

“There is no explanation, other than young men doing reprehensible things on a couple of nights that they will pay for for the rest of their lives,” Levine said. “I think they’ve learned a hard lesson.”

Skoblar’s attorney, William Grayson, added that all four youths are “students in good standing” at Birmingham High School and Valley College and had no previous criminal records, but simply engaged in “a tremendous incident of poor judgment.”

According to previous court testimony, Flores videotaped the attacks from the back seat of a Toyota Camry driven by Skoblar during a spree that continued over three nights. The four were arrested about 3 a.m. on Nov. 10 after a man who had been shot with paint pellets flagged down a police officer and pointed out their car.

Police seized two paint-ball rifles, about 200 paint pellets and a video camera from their car. The rifles, designed for use in mock combat games, use compressed gases to fire marble-size plastic balls--filled with paint that splatters on contact--at about 300 feet per second. They are meant to be used only on game players wearing protective clothing and goggles.

The camera contained footage of more than 20 attacks--including several in which pedestrians and transients struggled to shield themselves from the impact of the pellets, and one in which a bicyclist was beaten with a baseball bat.

The bicyclist was never identified or located.

Throughout the tape, teenage voices could be heard cheering in the background during each attack.

“I’m surprised nobody had a heart attack,” Kriegler said.

The four youths have also been ordered by the court to pay more than $3,000 restitution to a man whose car was damaged by a paint-ball attack.

Family members and friends of the defendants packed the courtroom Friday. Members of Flores’ family declined comment.