Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
- Vincent Caleb Vasquez, who police say is a Utah gang leader, was arrested for investigation of obstruction of justice.
- He's accused of instructing a murder suspect to dispose of a gun in a river.
- Vasquez is also accused of helping gather money for the suspect's potential escape from the state.
SALT LAKE CITY — A leader of a street gang was arrested Friday while attending a court hearing for a member of his gang who is charged with murder in the shooting death of a man at a West Jordan house party last month.
Vincent Caleb Vasquez, 18, was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail for investigation of obstruction of justice and is accused of instructing the homicide suspect to throw the gun into a river and of gathering money to help the man flee.
On March 9, West Jordan police responded to a shooting outside a house party at 7987 S. 6453 West. Hugo Lucero Perez, 19, was taken to a hospital, where he died from multiple gunshot wounds.
Tayden Bentley Huntsman, 19, of Layton, is charged with shooting Lucero while the man's back was turned. Detectives learned that both Huntsman and Lucero had arrived at the party with different groups and that during the party, Huntsman "questioned the victim about his gang loyalty and asked him why he was hanging out with a bunch of white boys," according to charging documents.
When Lucero left the party, Huntsman was waiting for him and fired 11 shots at him, police say. Lucero was hit three times.
When questioned by police, Huntsman said he got rid of the gun that was used but would not say how or where, according to a police booking affidavit. It also says Vasquez — "the known leader" of their gang — was with Huntsman on that date.
Investigators obtained search warrants and said they discovered that Vasquez, who is also referred to in the affidavit as "a shot caller" for the gang, was communicating with Huntsman after the shooting.
Vasquez "exchanged messages through text and social media with (Huntsman) instructing him to throw the firearm that was used in the incident in a river. (Vasquez) also offered to help gather money for (Huntsman) to get him out of the state," the affidavit alleges.
Officers arrested Vasquez Friday while he was attending a detention hearing for Huntsman at the Matheson Courthouse. When questioned by police, he said he told Huntsman to get rid of the gun in the river, but didn't know if Huntsman actually did it, the arrest report says.
