An 18-year-old Centralia teen was sentenced to four years and nine months in prison last Friday for his role in the shooting of two people in Centralia in May 2023.
Vincent A. Rhoades, who was 16 at the time of the shooting, pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree assault with a deadly weapon just prior to his sentencing.
Judge Paul Strophy accepted the plea and imposed the sentence.
Rhoades was initially charged with two counts of first-degree assault for the alleged shootings of Brandon Nino and Jennifer Garduno-Luna. Both charges were punishable by up to life in prison.
He first pleaded not guilty to the charges during an arraignment on Aug. 28, 2025.
With his plea deal, Rhoades agreed to remain charged as an adult. He faced a maximum of 10 years in prison for each count, though his standard sentence range listed 57 months at the high end for each count — the total amount of time Rhoades was ultimately sentenced to.
Standard sentence ranges are calculated based on the defendant’s criminal history and the severity of the crime — in this case the amended second-degree assault charges.
Along with prison time, Rhoades must also serve 18 months of community custody. He is prohibited from contacting the two victims for 10 years.
In his filed guilty plea statement, Rhoades admitted to intentionally assaulting both Nino and Garduno-Luna “with a deadly weapon,” but did not specify further.
Rhoades, who has been residing at Green Hill School, according to court documents, also pleaded guilty as a juvenile offender to unrelated offenses last Friday. That sentence — which includes a minimum term of 103 weeks — will run consecutive to his adult sentence.
Both pleas were made in order to secure a reduction in charges.
Rhoades’s criminal history includes juvenile convictions for second-degree malicious mischief, custodial assault, harassment, third-degree assault and first-degree attempted robbery, among other offenses.
Co-defendant Dayton L. Keyes, 22, of Chehalis, pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree assault with a deadly weapon on Jan. 30. He was sentenced to 43 months in prison.
A third co-defendant, Ronnie Mercado, 25, of Pasco, is scheduled to make a preliminary appearance in Lewis County on March 3 for two counts of first-degree assault.
Court records indicate he is currently serving a multi-year sentence out of Benton County for first-degree unlawful possession of a firearm and third-degree assault.
The initial charges against each defendant came nearly two years after the shooting.
In May 2023, Brandon Nino and Jennifer Garduno-Luna were driving on Oxford Avenue in Centralia when they were ambushed by gunfire from four teenagers crossing the street.
Francisco Nino-Villanueva, who was expecting their arrival to his house, attempted to drive the two gunshot victims to the hospital. He crashed his car on the way there.
A Lewis County Sheriff’s Office deputy arrived and transported all three to the hospital.
During their initial investigation, Centralia police discovered 24 9-mm casings from two different brands and four 40-mm casings at the scene of the shooting. They later identified four suspects.
But no charges were filed.
In January 2025, detectives spoke with a source who allegedly provided statements only law enforcement would know.
That source confirmed the supposed identities of the four suspects. He said only three guns were used, which corresponded with the detectives’ findings. The source reportedly told detectives that the suspects divulged what had happened just a day or so after the shooting.
