Oregon man stole unattended truck before shooting owner

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — An Ontario man was sentenced to 15 years in prison after committing a series of armed carjackings in Oregon and Idaho in 2021, including one in which he shot a victim in the chest, authorities said.

Gregory Escobedo Jr., 31, carjacked three victims at gunpoint over the span of a couple of days, the U.S. Department of Justice said.

On March 3, 2021, Escobedo drove away from a car he stole at gunpoint from a victim at an apartment complex in Ontario, court documents say. The next day, he approached another car parked on the side of the road, once again brandishing a gun.

“The stolen vehicle was out of gas which caused Escobedo to quickly return to the vehicle he arrived in and flee the area,” the U.S. DOJ said in a release. “Later that same day, on March 4 2021, in Caldwell, Idaho, Escobedo stole an unattended truck at a gas station. The owner pursued Escobedo, who eventually stopped the truck, and was confronted by the victim.”

Upon being confronted, Escobedo shot the unarmed victim in the chest. The person survived after being treated at a hospital. Escobedo was arrested that same day after being stopped by law enforcement.

In addition to receiving a 180-month sentence in a federal prison, Escobedo was also sentenced to three years post-release supervision.