A 19-year-old Long Beach gang member pleaded no contest to a hate crime assault on a teenager.
Bryan Blancas, 19, entered the plea to one felony count of assault by means of force likely to produce great bodily injury. He also admitted to allegations that the crime was a hate crime and was committed to benefit a criminal street gang.
Blancas was immediately sentenced by Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Daniel Lowenthal to eight years in state prison.
On May 15, Blancas and his friends confronted a 16-year-old African American teen. When the victim attempted to flee, Blancas knocked the victim to the ground and punched and kicked him multiple times in the head, face and torso, video showed.
Blancas was arrested May 21 in Long Beach.
