Second Man in Stow Beating at Dodger Stadium Appears in Weapons Case

Just days after the third anniversary of a near-fatal beating at Dodger Stadium, one of two men who carried out the assault pleaded not guilty today to a federal weapons charge that could add 10 years to his current prison sentence.

Louie Sanchez -- who, with Marvin Norwood, beat San Francisco Giants fan Bryan Stow nearly to death -- entered the plea to one federal count of being a felon in possession of firearms/ammunition, which carries a maximum 10-year prison sentence.

Sanchez, 31, has been serving an eight-year stretch in the medium- security North Kern State Prison in Delano for his role in the opening-day assault on Stow, but will be kept in federal custody pending trial in the current case, according to U.S. Magistrate Judge Carla Woehrle.

Sanchez's co-defendant Marvin Norwood, 33, previously pleaded not guilty to the federal weapons charge.

In a brief court appearance, Sanchez, wearing orange jail clothing, was chained at the ankles, wrists and waist. Tattoos were visible on his arms.

Asked by Woehrle if he understood the charge, Sanchez responded, "Yes, ma'am."

The judge set a May 27 trial date.

Norwood was taken into federal custody Feb. 21, a day after he and Sanchez pleaded guilty in state court to the Stow assault and were each sentenced.

Norwood had spent eight months in county jail beyond the two years of the four-year sentence he was required to serve as part of a plea deal in the Stow assault and was about to be released before federal authorities pounced.

Authorities said they found about a half-dozen weapons -- two semiautomatic rifles and a pistol, a 12-gauge shotgun and a revolver -- along with nearly 70 rounds of ammunition when they searched Norwood's home in connection with the Stow assault.

Norwood told police that the guns were not his and that he had allowed Sanchez to store them at his residence. Federal authorities, however, said they determined that the weapons were in the possession of and available to both men.

Court records showed both Norwood and Sanchez had prior convictions in San Bernardino before the unprovoked Stow attack at Dodger Stadium on March 31, 2011.

Sanchez was convicted of evading an officer in 2006 and a misdemeanor count of domestic violence in 2003. Norwood was found guilty of felony spousal assault in 2006.

The weapons and ammunition were recovered from the garage attic crawl space at Norwood's home, federal prosecutors said.

Norwood is being held without bond pending trial on the firearms charge.

Stow, a 45-year-old father of two, remains severely impaired. The former paramedic spent the first two years after the attack in hospitals and rehabilitation facilities and still requires daily care by his family.