LANCASTER, Pa. — The third suspect charged in a deadly 2019 drive-by shooting will serve a six- to 12-year prison term after pleading guilty to three felony charges in connection to the case, the Lancaster County District Attorney's Office said Tuesday.
Vladamir Paltan, 31, of the 600 block of Cleremont Avenue, pleaded guilty to criminal conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and two counts of hindering apprehension, prosecutors said. He is one of three men charged in the May 2019 murder of Tyreek Gardner.
The other two suspects, Ryan Rivera and Brian Paltan, are already serving prison terms for the murder, according to prosecutors.
Another man, Daniel Pineda, was also sentenced to prison for tipping off Rivera that police were investigating him for his role in the shooting.
Rivera was convicted of third-degree murder, criminal conspiracy and carrying a firearm without a license in November 2021 and sentenced to a prison term of up to 80 years in January 2022.
Brian Paltan, the brother of Vladamir Paltan, pleaded guilty to third-degree murder, criminal conspiracy and carrying a firearm without a license and was sentenced to a prison term of eight to 20 years in July 2022.
Pineda pleaded guilty in 2020 to a count of hindering apprehension after he lied about knowing nothing about Gardner's murder and called Rivera on a recorded line and told him to "be careful," because police are asking about him. Pineda was sentenced to a prison term of 14 to 46 months.
Vladimir Paltan admitted he was the driver of the car that took Brian Paltan and Ryan Rivera, the triggerman, to the scene of Gardner's murder.
“He had a choice that night: Drive straight or turn,” Assistant District Attorney Benjamin Baker said. “He was the linchpin of a murder that night. He enabled Ryan Rivera to commit murder.”
Evidence presented at Rivera’s trial showed that Rivera and Brian Paltan confronted Gardner on the 300 block of E. Fulton St. after Rivera and Gardner had crossed paths earlier in the night.
Brian Paltan punched Gardner, who ran from them on Tobacco Avenue toward North Shippen Street.
Rivera and Brian Paltan each fired at the victim but did not strike him. Shell casings were recovered on Tobacco Avenue.
Rivera and Brian Paltan returned to the corner of East Fulton Street and North Plum Street and video footage showed Rivera pointing at Gardner as he ran by onto Chestnut Street.
Shortly after, Rivera and Brian Paltan got into a Volkswagen Passat driven by Vladimir Paltan, which was captured on video surveillance driving down Chestnut Street to catch up with the victim.
Additional video captured the audio of the shots being fired.
