Contact: John Pezone, Deputy District Attorney
State
Targeted Offenses Bureau
Telephone: (916) 874-4781
District Attorney Jan Scully announced today that Mikhael Vlasov, age 24,
was sentenced to life without possibility of parole plus 25 years to life
for his conviction of first degree murder with the two special circumstances
that the murder was in the commission of carjacking and robbery, and the
finding that defendant personally used a firearm causing death; attempted
robbery, and the attempted carjacking of victim Cindy Chung. The defendant
was sentenced to an additional and consecutive 27 years for attempted
kidnapping for robbery with the personal use of a firearm and a knife, and
assault with a semi-automatic firearm, regarding victim Amado Lopez
committed just nine days after the murder.
The trial evidence showed that on January 20, 2000, Cindy Chung, 25 years
old, drove from Natomas to Rancho Cordova to help at her father’s body shop.
As she drove there in her 2000 BMW 323, she was followed by defendant Vlasov,
and his crime partner, Daniil Zhuk. (Zhuk was sentenced on July 9, 2004, to
Life without parole for his part in the murder.) They pursued her from the
I-5 interchange to Croydon Way in Rancho Cordova for the purpose of robbing
and carjacking her. They planned to sell her car to the “Russian Mafia” for
$3,000. After Ms. Chung helped her father, she returned to where she had
parked her car. Vlasov confronted her with a .22 caliber pistol in his hand.
As she tried to drive away he shot through her car window. The bullet lodged
in her heart killing her almost instantly. While escaping, Vlasov fired six
more shots to prevent Cindy’s father, Han Chung, from pursuing him. When Ms.
Chung’s car crashed at the scene, her father frantically sought help for his
dying daughter. On January 29, 2000 Vlasov and Zhuk attempted to kidnap
another victim, Amado Lopez, an employee of the Albertson’s on Laguna
Boulevard for the purpose of robbery. Vlasov confronted Mr. Lopez with a
knife and the murder weapon that he had used on Cindy Chung.
Deputy District Attorney John Pezone said at sentencing, “Vlasov made
decisions motivated by greed and a total disregard of the humanity of his
victims.” Agatha Chung, the family’s spokesperson’s statement was read: The
family is incredibly pleased with the jury’s verdict and thankful that the
matter is finally coming to an end. My sister was a “beautiful human being
who is missed immensely.” A statement from victim Amado Lopez was read to
the court, where he said “Justice always prevails.” Judge Troy L. Nunley
said, “I truly offer condolences to the Chung family. Cindy was a person of
such promise; they will live with her loss forever.”
