Man convicted in attempted murder case

One of two individuals arrested in 2014 for attempted murder was recently convicted by the court.

Jason Samuel Hernandez, a 41-year-old formerly of Fallbrook, was found guilty of attempted murder for an incident that occurred at the Econo Lodge motel on the 1600 block of South Mission Road on the evening of Dec. 22, 2014. He and Korina Catherine Dean, 26, attacked a 27-year-old woman in a gang related incident as a way of “cleaning house” within the gang’s ranks, according to Sheriff deputy statements.

According to Sheriff deputy testimony, the attack had not been random; Hernandez and Dean were gang associates that had specifically chosen the female due to internal gang politics. The identity of the woman was not released at the time of the attack, but she did recover from her injuries. Dean had already plead guilty.

According to Zachary Harris, the San Diego Sheriff’s lead detective on the case, Hernandez and his wife, Christi Kopp, tried to hire a hitman to kill one of the witnesses in the case within two months of Hernandez’ arrest.

“Through various law enforcement means, we were able to intercept the information,” said Harris. “That made [the Hernandez case] a life case.”

According to Tanya Sierra, the public affairs officer for the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office, the case became a two-defendant case against Hernandez and Kopp.

Guilty convictions by count and charge/allegation and by defendant were as follows for Hernandez:

• One count of assault with a deadly weapon, with personal infliction of great bodily injury allegation with gang affiliation
• One count of assault with force likely to produce great bodily injury; personal infliction of great bodily injury allegation; gang allegation

Guilty convictions by count and charge/allegation and by defendant were as follows for Hernandez and Kopp:

• Conspiracy to Commit Murder; gang allegation
• Conspiracy to Intimidate a Witness
• Furnishing Methamphetamine

“They were going to use the meth to pay for the hit,” explained Harris. “They were found to be affiliated with the Mexican Mafia and <a Fallbrook street gang>.”

While the sentencing has not yet occurred, both Kopp and Hernandez face life in prison.