Victim's family accuses DA's office of sweetheart deal with suspect

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A local family of a murder victim is accusing the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office of making a sweetheart plea deal with a suspect in their case.

Fernando Rojo Jr. was killed in a 2016 drive-by shooting while standing on his porch.

Rudy Dominguez, the suspected getaway driver, is facing life without parole.

Rojo's family members now claim the District Attorney's office made a deal with Dominguez for a shorter seven-year sentence. They also said a judge denied that plea deal.

"It just seems like the criminals are getting a slap on the wrist while our family members are getting a slap in the face. Not only are we being victimized by our family member being murdered in the street, when it comes to getting justice, we're the ones being victims now," said Amy Rojo, Fernando's sister-in-law.

A spokesperson for District Attorney George Gascon tells us this is incorrect, that there was never a plea deal and one was not even offered.

New justice reforms put in place by Gascon no longer allow gang enhancement charges which would make a prisoner's sentence longer. In this particular case, the district attorney's office says they tried to get special circumstance allegations dismissed but it was denied on two different occasions.