’Asian Boyz’ member gets lengthy sentence VAN NUYS, June 14, 1999 – A 26-year-old gang member who killed five people and tried to murder two more during a 1995 crime spree must spend at least the next 58 years behind bars, a Van Nuys judge said Monday.

    Superior Court Judge Darlene Schempp handed Roatha Buth five consecutive prison terms of life without parole for the murders, two life sentences for the attempted murders, plus 28 years for using a gun in the crimes.
    Buth, described as an Asian Boyz foot soldier, must remain behind bars until he is at least 84 years old, for committing the crimes while acting as a gang member, said Deputy District Attorney Laura Baird. Buth was the fifth of six Asian Boyz sentenced to life prison terms for a series of crimes that left seven people dead and was intended to enhance the El Monte-based gang’s notoriety.
    Last week, Schempp sentenced Sothi Menh, 23, and Buntheon Roeung, 22, to three consecutive terms of life without parole, plus seven life sentences – six of them consecutive.
    Menh will serve an additional 32 years for using a gun in several of the crimes. Schempp is scheduled to sentence Son Bui, 22, Tuesday.
    On May 26, prosecutors announced they would not seek death sentences for Buth, Menh, Roeung, and Bui. Jurors had been unable to reach agreement in the penalty phase, forcing a judge to declare a mistrial.
    The mistrial came days after Schempp sentenced a 19-year-old Asian Boyz member to three consecutive life terms without parole for killing five people.
    She also tacked on a 120 years-to-life term for Kimorn Nuth, who also was convicted of two attempted murders and one conspiracy count. Nuth avoided the death penalty because he was a juvenile when the crimes were committed.