A Santa Maria man faces a lengthy prison sentence after being convicted in Santa Barbara County Superior Court of attempting to murder a police officer and other charges stemming from an incident in November 2020. 

The Santa Maria jury also convicted Dustin Morales, 31, of assault with a semiautomatic firearm on a peace officer and carjacking along with finding true a couple of allegations, or sentencing enhancements, related to possessing and using a firearm.

Morales is scheduled to return to Judge Stephen Dunkle’s courtroom on May 21 for a sentencing hearing, when he faces up to 90 years to life in state prison for the Santa Barbara County conviction. 

Santa Maria Police Department officers responding to an unrelated domestic disturbance at 3:30 p.m. on Nov. 14, 2020, on the 200 block of East Grant Street saw a man wanted for charges stemming from a different incident.

When police attempted to detain the subject, a physical altercation ensued. 

During the altercation, the suspect pulled a handgun and shot at an officer, who was not injured and did not discharge his firearm.

Morales escaped by carjacking a vehicle in which a father and son were inside. 

After fleeing, he ended up in the Los Angeles area, where he was the passenger in a vehicle stopped by California Highway Patrol officers.

During the traffic stop, Morales moved into the driver’s seat and drove off, firing two or three shots with a semiautomatic 9mm handgun at CHP officers in pursuit, according to court documents.

He later left the vehicle and broke into a residence, causing the occupants to flee. Morales barricaded himself in the home before surrendering and reportedly admitting he was wanted in Santa Barbara County. 

In the Los Angeles County Superior Court case, Morales was convicted of multiple charges, including two counts of assault on a police officer, shooting from a moving vehicle, felony reckless evading, being a felon in possession of a gun, vandalism and more. 

Before his 2020 crimes in the two counties, Morales had other two other convictions, so he faced a third strike under California’s Three Strikes Sentencing Law.

The two prior felony convictions stem from cases in 2011 and 2017 in Superior Court in Lompoc involving assault with a deadly weapon, being a felon with a gang and street gang allegation.

He already has been sentenced to 75 years to life in state prison for the Los Angeles County case convictions.

Deputy District Attorney Noah Abolafia-Rosenzweig led the prosecution team while Marianne Zawadzki represented the defendant for the Santa Maria trial that began with jury selection in early April.

Morales remains in the custody of the Santa Barbara County Jail.