Killer of blind man convicted

A Santa Ana gang member was convicted of first-degree murder Tuesday for his part in killing a blind albino Russian gang member from Costa Mesa in June 2006.

Ruben Oliveros, 27, was found guilty of first-degree murder with a sentencing enhancement for the crime benefiting a gang and a felony count of street terrorism with an enhancement of using a gun and faces a maximum sentence of life in prison at his sentencing next month, officials said.

On June 6, 2006, Raffi Yessayan, was riding in his car with Oliveros and two other men, Marco Charcas-Fernandez, 23, of Santa Ana and Aurelio Saldivar, 30, of Costa Mesa. Yessayan’s friends would often drive him around in his car, a black Nissan sedan with custom rims, because of his blindness, prosecutors said. On that night, Yessayan got into an argument with Oliveros, who pulled out a gun and shot Yessayan in the back of the head after pulling into a parking lot in Orange. Yessayan had turned 26 the day before.

Prosecutors said Saldivar then grabbed the gun and shot Yessayan in the back of the head too.

He faces trial with Charcas-Fernandez on Jan. 12.

According to prosecutors, after killing Yessayan, the three went to Oliveros’ relative’s home and disassembled the car and got rid of the gun.

Several other men face charges for their role in helping the men after the murder.

Oliveros is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 9 in Santa Ana’s Central Justice Center.

JOSEPH SERNA may be reached at (714) 966-4619 or at joseph.serna@latimes.com.