Mariah Madalena Silva, 27, of Modesto, who was convicted last month of first-degree robbery committed along with Stephen Patrick Tisdale, has been sentenced to three years in state prison.
Silva pled no contest to the charge. She must serve 85 percent of her sentence in actual prison custody.
Robbery is deemed a “strike” under California’s “Three Strikes Law” and may be used to increase punishment for any future felony convictions once released from prison.
According to Chief Deputy District Attorney Jeff Mangar, Silva drove co-defendant Stephen Patrick Tisdale on Oct. 21, 2018 to a home near Yosemite Boulevard and El Vista Avenue in Modesto to rob the 37-year-old James Chisum. While Silva waited outside in the car, Tisdale entered the home and shot Chisum in the chest with a shotgun as the victim held his 18-month-old grandson. Tisdale then robbed the victim of several items before returning to Silva’s car and she drove off. Chisum died from the shotgun wound but the child was not injured.
Tisdale told police that he believed the victim was a “drop-out” from the Norteno criminal street gang.
Modesto Police detectives determined that Silva was the driver and Tisdale the shooter based on evidence collected. Silva has no prior criminal history.
Tisdale was on probation for domestic violence and assault with a deadly weapon at the time he shot and robbed the victim. He had been arrested in Ceres on Dec. 7, 2018.
Although Silva facilitated the shooting by driving Tisdale to the crime and helped him escape afterwards, recent changes in the law meant that she could only be charged and convicted of robbery in this case.
Tisdale was previously convicted and sentenced to serve 200 years to life in state prison after pleading guilty to two counts of murder using a firearm, four counts of attempted murder using a firearm, two counts of participating in a criminal street gang, child endangerment, auto theft and home invasion.
The Chisum shooting was one of many for Tisdale. He shot a store clerk in the hand on Sept. 12, 2018 at the Stop n’ Shop on Yosemite Boulevard in Modesto. He intended to rob the store but it was closed. When the clerk refused to open the locked front glass door, Tisdale shot at the clerk, hitting him in his hand, and ran off. The shooting was recorded on the store’s video surveillance system.
Tisdale struck again on Oct. 9, 2018 when at approximately 3 p.m., he shot a bicyclist in retaliation for a drug dispute between him and the Norteno criminal street gang. Tisdale fled after shooting the man on El Posado Avenue in Modesto, causing great injury.
Later that evening after the Chisum shooting, near the Sunrise Village Mobile Home Park on South Seventh Street in south Modesto, Tisdale shot at a 53-year-old man and his 57-year-old girlfriend as they were walking home. Tisdale believed both victims were “drop-outs” from the Norteno criminal street gang. The female was hit and suffered great bodily injury. Tisdale fled after the shooting.
The second killing occurred on Oct. 31, 2018, when Tisdale fatally shot a 58-year-old Sameer Sogul at his home in the 3700 block of Coffee Road in Modesto. He said the shooting was for the benefit of the Norteno criminal street gang.
His arrest came on Dec. 7 when Modesto Police detectives determined that Tisdale was responsible for this crime spree and arrested him. At the time of his arrest, Tisdale was on felony probation for domestic violence and assault with a deadly weapon.
