Two known members of a Wasco street gang have been convicted in a violent 2022 assault involving firearms, gang intimidation, and a shooting that left a teenage boy wounded.
On June 4, 2025, a Kern County jury found Joel Arrazate Jr., 26, guilty of assault with force likely to cause great bodily injury and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
His co-defendant, Anthony Arreola, 25, was convicted of assault with a semi-automatic firearm, assault with force likely to cause bodily injury, and also being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Jurors additionally found that Arreola personally discharged a firearm during the attack.
Both men admitted to gang enhancements on all charges and confirmed their membership in the Varrio Wasco Rifa criminal street gang during the commission of the crime.
The convictions stem from an incident on August 7, 2022, when Arrazate and Arreola approached a father and son outside their Wasco apartment, demanding so-called “gang taxes” — extortion money allegedly owed to the gang. When the victims refused, Arrazate initiated a physical fight, with Arreola joining in, inflicting minor injuries on the father.
Rather than fleeing, the men returned minutes later and opened fire in the street. Arreola fired six shots from a semi-automatic handgun. A third, unidentified suspect also shot at the victims, striking the son in the leg.
District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer strongly condemned the attack, stating:
“Gang activity undermines the well-being and safety of our communities, putting families at risk. Such behavior is intolerable, and those responsible will face consequences that match the severity of their crimes.”
Both Arrazate and Arreola are scheduled to be sentenced on July 14, 2025, before Judge David R. Zulfa in Department 18 of the Kern County Superior Court. They each face up to 28 years in state prison.
